BERNICIA 


BY         .  ^ 

AMELIA    EMBARK 

AUTHOR  OF  "JAN  VEDDER'S  WIFE,"  "  FRIEND  OLIVIA,"  "  THE 

BOW  OF  ORANGE  RIBBON,"  ETC.,  ETC. 


NEW  YORK 

DODD,    MEAD  AND   COMPANY 
1895 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  BERNICIA, i 

II.  THE  HOUSE  OF  BOUVERIE,         ....  27 

III.  THERE  ARE  so  MANY  WAYS  OF  LOVING,        .  .  53 

IV.  A  DRAWING-ROOM  SERMON,       .        .                .  77 
V.  HARRY'S  RETURN,         .        .        ...        .  .      97 

VI.  LOVER  AND  PREACHER, 125 

VII.  WILLIAM  BOUVERIE'S  ANGER,        .        .        .  .     144 

VIII.  HARRY'S  PARDON, 158 

IX.  THE  QUARRELSOME  DISEASE,         ....  176 

X.  BERNICIA'S  INTERFERENCE,        ....  197 

XL  THE  GREATEST  PLEASURE  OF  LIFE  is  LOVE,  .     229 

XII.  THE  WORD  LISTENED  FOR,        ....  267 


BERNICIA. 


CHAPTER  I. 

BERNICIA. 

ON  the  morning  of  the  i$th  of  March,  A.  D.  1748, 
Lord  John  Pomfret,  a  nobleman  of  the  court  of 
George  II.,  and  a  member  of  the  government  of 
which  Pelham  was  prime  minister,  was  impatiently 
waiting  the  advent  of  his  wife.  As  he  did  so,  he  fre 
quently  cast  glances  into  the  large  oval  looking-glass, 
which  reflected  his  flashing  black  eyes,  his  swarthy 
skin,  and  the  full  dark  curls  of  his  flowing  wig.  He 
was  a  handsome  man,  with  an  air  of  great  authority, 
and  he  was  privately  assuring  himself  that  he  was  not 
unworthy  of  his  lady's  approval,  when  he  heard  the 
tapping  of  her  heeled  shoes  upon  the  polished  hall  ; 
and  immediately  Lady  Pomfret,  dressed  as  for  the 
Mall,  in  all  the  splendour  of  brocade,  lace  ruffles, 
patches,  and  powder,  entered  the  room. 

She  was  a  small,  fair  woman,  and  not  strictly  beauti 
ful  ;  but  all  her  movements  were  made  with  "  an  air  " 
that  captured  the  imagination,  and  invested  her  with 
more  than  the  power  of  beauty.  Lord  Pomfret 
advanced  eagerly  to  meet  her,  and  she  looked  at  him 
with  that  pleased  composure  which  is  prepared  to  ac- 


2     <  '          BERNICIA.       • 

cept  admiration  and  is  conscious  of  its  desert.  Then 
with  the  manner  of  a  queen  she  said  : 

"  My  lips  and  cheeks  have  been  pinked  and 
powdered,  as  you  may  see,  sir.  I  hope,  then,  my  hand 
will  content  you.  And  pray  do  I  look  handsome  this 
morning  ?  " 

"  You  are  entirely  adorable,  Fanny." 

"  Then  sit  with  me  a  little,  for  I  have  things  of 
importance  to  say  to  you." 

"  'Tis  impossible  to  delay.  I  but  waited  to  salute 
you.  I  have  a  world  of  affairs  to  attend  to,  and  His 
Grace  of  Newcastle  expects  my  presence." 

"  Let  '  His  Grace  '  wait.  Courtiers  are  well  accus 
tomed  to  whistle  and  watch  the  door." 

"  You  know  what  our  expectations  are  in  that 
quarter,  Fanny  ?  " 

"  I  have  none  remaining.  I  know  that  we  were 
promised  seas  and  mountains  ;  and  that  we  have 
received  nothing.  You  may  grow  devout,  John,  and 
fix  your  hopes  on  the  next  life  ;  for  you  will  obtain 
nothing  from  His  Grace  of  Newcastle  in  this  one." 

"  I  asked  nothing.  Offers  were  made  me.  There 
are  not  two  men  in  England  to  whom  I  would  say, 
'  Your  servant,  sir.'  " 

"  And  but  one  woman  ?  " 

"  But  one  woman  ;  your  adorable  self,  dear  Fanny." 

"  I  am  very  sensible  of  your  affection.  What  think 
you  ?  My  sister  Bernicia  is  in  town.  She  sent  me 
word  of  her  arrival  yesterday  morning,  but  her  messen 
ger  found  me  gone  to  Richmond  ;  and  so  returned 
this  morning." 

"  How  unfortunate  !  " 

"  Thus  you  see  me  ready  for  my  coach.     I  am  going 


BERNICIA.  3 

as  far  as  Bloomsbury  myself.  I  have  heard  wonders 
of  the  house  my  Uncle  Bouverie  has  just  finished.  It 
is  said  to  be  carved,  and  satined,  and  gilded,  and 
looking-glassed  like  a  palace.  I  am  told  there  is  not 
a  cup,  or  a  rug,  or  a  rag  in  it,  under  one  hundred 
years  old." 

"  Some  such  things  I  have  heard  also.  Where  will 
these  traders  grow  to  ?  " 

"  I  shall  bring  Bernicia  back  here  with  me." 

"  That  would  be  imprudent.  How  can  you  propose 
anything  so  risky  ?  Her  very  name  will  rouse  suspi 
cion.  People  will  ask  what  a  Cresswell  is  doing  in  our 
home,  pledged  as  we  are  to  the  House  of  Hanover." 

u  Speak  for  your  own  pledges,  John.  If  you  are 
not  sure  under  '  which  king  '  you  live,  I  am,"  and 
she  folded  back  with  a  smiling  pride  her  sacque  of 
blue  brocade,  and  showed  over  her  heart  the  white 
rose  of  Stuart. 

He  began  to  bluster  at  the  emblem.  "  I  will  not 
suffer  it  in  my  house  !  "  he  cried. 

"  I  will  then  remove  myself  from  your  house," 
answered  Lady  Pomfret.  "  I  am  mightily  tired  of  you 
beginning  every  day  with  an  lo  Poean  to  that  snuffy 
German  usurper.  And  you  know,  John  Pomfret,  that 
your  heart  is  with  the  Stuarts,  and  that  you  are  a 
miserable  impostor  !  " 

"  Gracious  Heavens  !  Have  you  lost  your  senses, 
Fanny  ?  " 

Then  she  looked  at  him  steadily,  and  he  bit  his  lip 
and  laughed  softly,  and  said  "  Egad,  Fanny  !  What  a 
woman  you  are  !  I  suppose  Bernicia  could  put 
*  Cresswell '  behind  some  other  name  ?  " 

"  That  is  not  supposable." 


4  BERNICIA. 

"  But  it  is  a  question  of  safety  to  ourselves.  All 
England  knows  that  your  father,  Sir  William  Cress- 
well,  and  your  brother  James- ' 

"  Are  among  the  illustrious  headless.  I  thank  God 
for  their  faithful  lives,  and  their  honourable  deaths. 
All  England  knows  also  that  my  brother  Harry  is  with 
the  king — over  the  water.  What  then  ?  Is  the  little 
Hanover  man  afraid  of  a  girl-child  ?  Are  you  expect 
ing  Bernicia  to  plot  treason  ?  Do  you  think  I  will 
help  her  ?  I  tell  you  willingly,  I  would  if  I  could, 
but  when  the  last  opportunity  is  taken  away,  what  can 
we  do  ?  " 

"  Look  you,  Fanny  !  you  treat  me  very  unkindly. 
You  prejudice  my  affairs  beyond  redemption." 

"  I  am  a  miracle  of  kindness  compared  with  many 
notable  women.  Seven  nights  gone  by,  did  not  the 
Duchess  of  Queensberry  at  her  masquerade,  dress  her 
duke  in  tartans  ?  Could  anything  have  been  more 
insulting  to  the  Usurper  at  this  time  ?  " 

"  The  Duchess  of  Queensberry  is  as  mad  as  a  March 
hare." 

"  The  weather  is  so  very  Marchy,  that  we  are  all 
mad,  I  think.  But  having  agreed  to  my  plans  about 
Bernicia,  I  need  not  ask  your  presence  longer." 

"  Your  plans  !     Have  I  yet  heard  them,  Fanny  ?" 

"  Indeed,  they  are  unfinished.  We  can  consider 
them  to-night.  The  duke  is  doubtless  anxious  for 
your  private  counsel.  If  I  were  you,  I  would  give 
Newcastle  one  bow  and  his  brother  Henry  two.  If 
you  can  be  of  the  least  use  to  Henry  Pelham,  he  will 
put  you  in  the  Ministry.  As  for  the  duke,  he  is  not 
to  be  trusted,  unless  he  stakes.  But  then,  as  you  say, 
the  whole  Ministry  is  as  mad  as  March  hares." 


BERNICIA.  5 

She  was  settling  her  dress  over  her  hoop,  and  turn 
ing  her  feet  right  and  left  to  see  if  the  silver  clocks  on 
her  silk  stockings  were  straight,  and  Pomfret  did  not 
care  to  waste  more  time  in  a  dispute  whose  certain 
conclusion  for  him  was  defeat.  He  went  away  with 
an  air  of  depression,  and  Lady  Pomfret  called  for 
her  glass  coach  and  her  footmen,  and  crossing  Hoi- 
born,  turned  to  the  fine  new  precinct  of  Bloomsbury 
Square. 

It  was  not  a  long  ride,  yet  she  had  time  for  many 
reflections  before  reaching  her  Uncle  Bouverie's 
house  ;  for  in  that  day  the  streets  of  London  did  not 
permit  rapid  movement  of  any  kind.  They  were 
always  crowded  with  coaches,  chairs,  and  carts  ;  with 
porters  bearing  large  burdens,  and  bullies  swaggering 
great  swords  ;  with  funerals,  christenings,  weddings, 
street  fights,  and  processions — all  curiously  jumbled 
together,  and  enveloped  in  a  bewildering  babel  of 
cries  from  hawkers,  ballad  singers,  and  beggars. 

From  this  passage  of  the  streets  Lady  Pomfret's 
thoughts  entirely  separated  themselves.  They  were 
in  the  wild,  gray  Northumberland  ;  or  wandering 
about  the  lonely,  lordless  castle  of  the  Creswells  ;  or 
flitting  over  the  desolate  field  of  Culloden  and  the 
awful  spaces  of  Carlisle  walls.  The  London  crowd 
pressed  close  to  the  doors  of  her  coach,  but  she  was 
not  conscious  of  a  figure  in  it.  She  was  watching  her 
father,  with  his  gigantic  hillsmen  at  his  side,  pass  like 
phantoms  over  Kildeer  Moor  and  Carter  Fells  to  join 
Prince  Charles  in  his  latest  brilliant  mistake.  They 
were  all  gone,  never  to  return.  Then  she  thought  of 
the  sweet,  sad  mother  who  had  so  soon  followed  them 
to  some  land  of  which  mortals  know  nothing  at  all ; 


6  BERNICIA. 

of  the  brother  in  France  ;  of  the  little  sister  Bernicia, 
who  had  been  sheltered  by  a  Creswell  more  prudent 
than  the  head  of  the  family  ;  of  the  old  home  and 
estate,  which  would  doubtless  be  forfeited  to  the  new 
dynasty. 

"  Root  and  branch  !  house  and  lands  ! "  she  mut 
tered  passionately.  "  All  will  go  to  some  Hanover 
rat.  Strange  women  will  sit  in  my  mother's  room, 
and  some  creature  who  never  knew  Northumberland 
will  become  Lord  of  Cresswell  Castle.  And  all  for 
those  Stuarts  !  those  fatally  unlucky  Stuarts  !  Would 
to  God  the  prince  had  had  manhood  enough  to  die 
with  the  good  men  who  died  for  him  !  I  could 
forgive  him  if,  when  all  was  lost,  he  had  sought  out 
that  devil  Cumberland  and  found  his  savage  heart 
with  a  Stuart  claymore.  Oh,  Charlie  !  Charlie  !  why 
did  you  not  die  with  Perth  and  Keppoch  ? "  Tears 
of  wrath  and  sorrow  dimmed  her  eyes,  and  when  she 
had  wiped  them  away  she  was  aware  that  the  lonely 
moors  and  mountains  beyond  Hadrian's  Wall  were 
far  off,  and  that  she  was  in  Bloomsbury  Square, 
London,  and  approaching  her  uncle's  new  mansion. 

Outside  it  was  not  yet  finished.  Men  were  busy 
with  the  carved  stone  work  and  the  polishing  of  the 
massive  doorway.  But  a  step  within  it  placed  her  in 
an  atmosphere  of  the  past.  The  wide  spaces  of  the 
hall  were  lined  with  pictures  of  the  Bouverie  family — 
men  who  had  been  famous  in  their  generations — 
fighters  with  Cromwell,  adventurous  traders  and 
mariners,  great  merchants,  and,  withal,  ever  to  be 
found  in  the  front  when  Dissent  was  struggling  for 
religious  liberty  or  political  recognition. 

She  glanced  right  and  left  at  the  resolute,  square- 


BERNICIA.  7 

jawed  men  in  steel  corselets  or  black  velvet,  and  even 
paused  a  moment  before  the  likeness  of  Captain 
Christopher  Bouverie,  standing  silent  and  motionless 
by  his  mainmast  while  his  wounded  ship  sunk  to  her 
grave  off  the  ice-bound  coast  of  Archangel.  The 
house  was  very  quiet,  and  the  man  who  opened  to  her 
was  shod  in  felt  and  moved  with  irritating  delibera 
tion.  But  she  was  unconsciously  calmed  by  the 
atmosphere  in  which  she  found  herself,  so  that  when 
she  entered  the  lofty  room  into  which  she  was  ushered 
she  did  so  without  hurry  and  with  no  evidence  of  the 
emotion  she  really  felt. 

There  were  two  women  in  it,  one  of  them  near 
seventy  years  of  age.  She  was  tall  and  straight,  with 
a  dull  fire  in  her  black  eyes,  and  a  cap  of  Honiton 
lace  over  her  snow-white  hair.  She  sat  by  the  fire 
knitting,  and  her  brass  needles  moved  with  an  in 
cessant  rapidity  even  when  she  was  not  looking  at 
them.  Lady  Fanny  courtesied  low  to  her,  and  then 
put  out  her  arms  to  a  girl  who  had  risen  from  an 
embroidery  frame  as  she  entered.  This  girl  was 
Bernicia  Cresswell,  and  Lady  Fanny  held  her  to  her 
heart  and  gave  full  sway  to  the  impetuous  affection 
which  at  the  sight  of  Bernicia  swept  every  lesser  con 
sideration  before  it. 

"  My  little  sister  !  "  she  cried.  "  My  little  sister  ! 
You  have  become  a  woman  !  Oh,  a  charming  woman  ! 
Oh,  my  darling,  you  are  a  very  angel !  " 

"Granddaughter,"  said  Mme.  Bouverie,  "you  must 
try  and  speak  without  uttering  false  words.  In  this 
world,  no  woman  is  an  angel." 

"  A  thousand  pardons,  grandmother.  Indeed, 
divines  who  pretend  to  know  about  women  have 


8  BERNICIA. 

doubts  about  our  being  angels  even  in  the  next 
world.  I  will  except  my  sweet  mother,  and  doubt  it 
myself.  We  are  a  bad  lot.  Confess  to  me,  Bernicia, 
have  you  ceased  to  be  angry,  and  to  tell  fibs,  and  to 
love  the  world  and  the  flesh  and  the  devil  ? " 

Then  Bernicia  kissed  her  sister,  and  as  she  did  so, 
whispered  :  "  Take  me  away,  Fanny.  This  house  is 
neither  for  my  age  nor  my  liking." 

Lady  Pomfret  had  come  with  this  intention,  but 
she  found  difficulty  in  carrying  it  out.  Mme. 
Bouverie,  in  spite  of  her  age,  was  still  controlled  by 
passionate  prejudices.  It  was  twenty-seven  years 
since  her  daughter  Frances  married,  against  her  posi 
tive  command,  the  North  Country  Jacobite  lord,  and 
she  was  still  unforgiven.  Her  misfortunes  and  death 
madame  considered  a  barely  adequate  retribution  for 
her  transgression  of  all  the  religious  and  social  tradi 
tions  of  her  own  family.  And  she  justified  this  lasting 
anger  by  the  consideration  that  the  evil  inaugurated 
by  the  marriage  of  Frances  Bouverie  to  Sir  William 
Cresswell  did  not  end  with  the  authors  of  it.  They 
were  dead,  and  their  first-born  had  been  foredoomed 
to  the  scaffold.  Yet  the  three  remaining  children 
manifested  no  leaning  toward  the  faith  of  the  home 
and  the  domestic  life  which  the  wilful  Frances  had 
abandoned. 

On  the  contrary,  her  eldest  daughter  had  married 
Lord  John  Pomfret,  a  High  Churchman,  a  Tory, 
a  natural  hater  of  the  Dissenters,  and  the  frequenter 
of  a  court  at  once  stupidly  sensual  and  scornfully 
atheistic.  And  as  the  wife  of  such  a  man,  Fanny 
Pomfret  had  become  a  fashionable  woman  and  a 
partner  in  all  the  vices  and  follies  then  adherent  to 


BERNICIA.  -9 

the  character.  This  further  lapse  had  not  been  made 
without  madame's  interference.  When  her  grand 
daughter  had  first  come  to  London  she  had  fre 
quently  sent  for  her.  She  had  warned  her  of  the 
snares  of  the  world  and  the  devil,  and  tried  to  teach 
her  how  to  attain  unto  that  peace  of  mind  which 
conies  from  close  walking  with  God.  But  even  while 
giving  such  instruction,  madame  had  always  doubted 
the  efficacy  of  it.  Fanny  Pomfret  was  a  child  of 
reprobate  parents,  and  their  works  only  could  be 
expected  from  her. 

It  must  also  be  admitted  that  Lady  Pomfret  had 
given  some  verity  to  this  uncharitable  fear,  for  she 
rapidly  ceased  answering  with  her  presence  her  grand 
mother's  invitations.  She  could  not  satisfy  madame, 
and  with  the  other  members  of  the  Bouverie  family 
she  did  not  come  in  contact.  They  were  only  three 
in  number  :  her  uncle,  William  Bouverie,  and  his  two 
wards,  George  and  Claire  Abney.  William  Bouverie 
was  usually  in  the  city  during  the  hours  in  which  her 
visits  were  made,  and  the  Abneys  were  both  at  famous 
Dissenting  academies  in  the  city  of  Gloucester. 

At  this  time  there  were  in  the  Cresswell  family  much 
speculation  and  curiosity  concerning  these  children. 
It  was  said  that  William  Bouverie  had  adopted  them, 
and  his  own  wife  and  child  being  dead,  there  was  a 
natural  fear  that  they  were  destined  to  inherit  the 
Bouverie's  wealth.  So  when  Fanny  Cresswell  married 
and  removed  to  London,  she  was  urged  by  her 
mother  to  make  peace  with  her  relations,  and  to  dis 
cover  if  possible  the  position  of  the  two  wards  of  the 
house. 

It  was  more  easy  to  fulfil  the  last  condition  than  the 


10  BERNICIA. 

first.  Lady  Pomfret  could  not  win  her  grandmother's 
affection,  but  there  was  no  attempt  made  to  keep  from 
her  knowledge  the  circumstances  relating  to  George 
and  Claire  Abney. 

"  Their  father  was  your  uncle's  friend,"  said 
madame.  "They  loved  each  other,  and  they  were 
partners  in  business.  So  when  Silas  Abney  and  his 
wife  died,  it  was  natural  that  the  children  and  their 
estates  should  be  left  in  my  son's  care.  He  will  deal 
justly  with  both." 

"  Did  their  parents  die  at  the  same  time  ? " 

"Within  a  few  hours  of  each  other.  They  had  a 
fever  which  was  prevailing  at  the  time." 

"How  old  are  the  children,  grandmother?  Are 
they  a  care  to  you  ?  " 

"  They  are  no  care  to  me.  George  Abney  is  fifteen 
and  his  sister  Claire  is  ten  years  old.  They  are  at 
good  schools." 

In  some  way  Fanny  Pomfret  received  the  impres 
sion  that  her  grandmother  had  not  learned  to  love 
the  orphans.  It  was  also  evident  that  the  conversa 
tion  about  them  had  no  special  interest  for  her,  yet 
Fanny  continued  it. 

"Are  they  poor,  grandmother?"  she  asked. 

"  They  are  both  rich,"  answered  madame.  "  Claire 
is  especially  rich." 

"  Is  it  not  strange  that  the  girl  should  be  richer  than 
the  boy  ?" 

"  George  Abney  is  the  sole  heir  of  his  father.  To 
her  daughter  Claire,  Mrs.  Abney  left  her  own  fortune, 
and  she  was  one  of  the  wealthy  and  famous  Owen 
family." 

"  And  pray  why  *  famous  '  ?  " 


BERNICIA.  II 

"You  ought  to  know,  Fanny,  that  the  Owens  have 
been  pillars  of  Nonconformity  and  Dissent  in  all 
their  generations.  Claire's  property  is  growing  on  all 
sides.  When  she  is  of  age,  she  will  be  a  great 
heiress." 

"  Pray  can  I  call  '  cousin  '  with  George  and  Claire 
Abney  ?  " 

"  The  Bouverie  and  Abney  families  have  inter 
married.  We  are  at  least  cousins  and  connections  by 
marriage." 

"  And  the  Abneys  are  rich  ?  " 

"  Very  rich.  Two  of  them  have  been  Lord  Mayors 
of  London." 

"  Ah,  then,  I  think  I  may  call  Claire  *  dear  cousin.' " 
"  You  may  pleasure  yourself  in  the  matter,  Fanny." 
"  At  any  rate,  she  cannot  call  you  '  grandmother '  ?  " 
"  She  cannot  call  me  '  grandmother.'  I  am  not  apt 
to  give  myself  away." 

"  Nor  can  she  call  Uncle  William  '  uncle  '  ?  " 
"  He  has  given  both  children  that  right  since  their 
birth." 

"  Then  I  must  treat  them  *  cousinly,'  I  suppose  ?  " 
But  in  spite  of  this  decision  Lady  Pomfret  never 
became  familiar  in  the  Bouverie  family.  Her  visits 
grew  further  apart,  and  then  ceased  altogether.  Years 
passed,  the  gulf  grew  wider,  and  the  death  and  ruin 
of  Lady  Pomfret's  family  hardened,  rather  than  soft 
ened,  her  heart  toward  her  relatives.  She  thought 
they  had  treated  her  mother  cruelly,  and  she  was  glad 
that  madame  herself  should  suffer  the  pang  of  un- 
forgiven  love.  And  thus  in  the  course  of  ten  years 
the  Bouverie  and  Pomfret  families  became  complete 
strangers. 


12  BERNICIA. 

And  if  Lady  Pomfret  was  little  known  to  her  city 
iclatives,  Bernicia  Cresswell  was  not  known  at  all. 
Her  very  name  was  a  source  of  disapproval. 

"  Bernicia  !  "  cried  her  grandmother  scornfully. 
"  Bernicia  has  a  pagan  sound.  No  one  in  our 
family  was  ever  christened  by  a  pagan  name." 

"  It  is  the  ancient  name  of  Northumberland,"  said 
the  child's  uncle.  "  Frances  could  not  call  a  girl 
'  Northumberland,'  but  Bernicia  is  not  bad." 

"  But  why  '  Northumberland  '  in  any  fashion  ?  Are 
there  not  Marys  and  Elizabeths  and  Catherines  in  the 
Bouverie  family?  names  that  have  the  English  air, 
and  sound  sweet  to  every  ear.  I  shall  never  be  able 
to  say  this  child's  name  without  a  feeling." 

So  Bernicia  had  been  allowed  to  remain  in  Nor 
thumberland  after  her  father's  and  mother's  death. 
It  was  understood  that  Allan  Cresswell — having  taken 
no  part  in  the  rebellion — had  been  permitted  to  hold 
in  charge  the  Cresswell  estate  until  the  further  plea 
sure  of  the  king  should  be  known,  and  that  Lady 
Cresswell  on  her  deathbed  had  also  appointed  him  a 
kind  of  guardian  of  her  little  daughter.  To  the  Bou 
verie  family  it  appeared  a  proper  arrangement,  and 
even  Lady  Pomfret  was  not  inclined  to  dispute  it. 
Her  last  memory  of  Bernicia  was  that  of  a  hoydenish, 
unhandsome  girl  of  fourteen,  educated  by  her  mother 
in  such  feminine  arts  as  were  then  commonly  taught 
girls,  and  by  her  father  in  all  sylvan  sports — and  lov 
ing  the  latter  much  more  than  the  former. 

And  in  three  years  if  Love  does  not  grow  cold,  it 
does  grow  forgetful.  Bernicia  had  been  almost  for 
gotten  by  her  kindred  in  London,  when  there  occurred 
one  of  those  divine  interferences  in  a  destiny  which 


BERNICIA.  13 

we  ignorantly  call  "  accidents."  A  certain  Redes- 
dale  man,  named  Gilbert  Hadley,  stopped  one  day  at 
Cresswell  Castle  and  asked  for  the  loan  of  a  horse, 
his  own  having  fallen  lame  under  him.  Allan  Cress- 
well  invited  him  to  remain  and  rest,  and  the  men  be 
came  confidential  over  a  bottle  of  wine.  Then  Had 
ley  told  Cresswell  that  he  was  returning  from  London, 
where  he  had  been  to  secure  the  succession  to  the 
estate  of  his  eldest  brother,  who  had  been  slain  at 
Prestonpans  fighting  with  Prince  Charles. 

"  I  had  no  opinion  of  the  Stuart  cause  from  the 
first,"  he  said,  "and  I  begged  brother  Jack  to  give 
it  the  go-by,  but  '  out '  he  would,  and  no  stopping 
him.  Then  close  to  my  own  ingle  I  sat,  and  no  one 
could  lay  word  or  deed  against  me,  and  now  I  have 
my  reward." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  you  have  legal  possession  of 
Hadley  Keep  and  land  ? "  asked  Cresswell. 

"  That  is  what  it  comes  to.  My  lawyer  represented 
to  the  government  that  it  would  be  a  pity  to  dis 
possess  one  of  the  oldest  families  in  England,  when 
there  was  a  loyal  representative  to  carry  it  on  ;  and 
the  matter  was  so  settled.  There  have  been  expenses, 
but  what  of  that  ?  I  am  now  Master  of  Hadley." 

This  conversation  made  a  great  impression  upon 
Allan  Cresswell.  If  Gilbert  Hadley  had  secured  his 
brother's  right,  why  might  not  Allan  Cresswell  take 
his  cousin's  place?  He  had  been  without  offence 
toward  the  government,  and  the  direct  male  heirs  to 
Cresswell  were  all  dead  except  young  Harry  Cress- 
well,  who  was  even  then  an  exile,  in  known  sympathy 
with  the  Stuarts.  He  determined  to  apply  at  once 
for  the  succession. 


14  BERNICIA. 

But  before  carrying  out  this  intention  he  felt  that 
he  must  rid  himself  of  Bernicia.  She  was  too  observ 
ant,  and  if  she  suspected  his  plans  she  would  hardly 
hesitate  at  any  means  to  defeat  them.  If  he  left  her 
alone  at  Cresswell,  she  would  think  and  think,  and 
finally  divine  what  business  had  taken  him  to  London. 
All  things  considered,  it  was  best  Bernicia  also  should 
go  to  London.  She  would  have  a  hundred  new 
interests  there  to  absorb  her  attention,  and  her 
presence  would  take  away  all  reasonable  grounds  for 
accusing  him  of  double  dealing. 

However,  he  did  not  wish  her  to  go  to  her  sister, 
Lady  Pomfret.  The  two  women  would  get  to  talking, 
then  to  doubting,  then  to  watching  him,  and  if  so, 
Lord  Pomfret  would  be  their  ally :  and  he  had 
influence  enough  to  defeat  all  his  projects.  He  told 
Bernicia,  therefore,  that  he  was  going  to  France  to  see 
her  brother  Harry.  He  said  this  step  was  necessary 
to  preserve  Cresswell,  and  that  he  hoped  he  would  be 
able,  if  he  reasoned  with  the  young  man,  to  persuade 
him  to  solicit  a  pardon  from  King  George. 

Bernicia  scouted  the  idea,  though  perhaps  in  her 
heart  she  did  hope  for  this  arrangement.  When  peo 
ple  are  ready  to  give  up  a  point  or  a  prejudice,  they 
often  bluster  a  little  about  their  unwavering  loyalty  to 
it.  So  though  she  mocked  at  the  supposition  of  Harry 
humbling  himself  to  the  Hanover  usurper,  she  said 
she  was  willing  to  go  to  London  and  remain  with  her 
friends,  while  Cresswell  went  to  interview  his  rebel 
cousin. 

"  But  I  will  stay  with  my  sister  Fanny,"  she  said, 
"  for  I  know  my  grandmother  and  my  Uncle  Bouverie 
will  give  me  but  a  cold  welcome." 


BERNICIA.  15 

"Your  grandmother  has  the  first  right  to  dispose 
of  your  movements,"  answered  Allan  Cresswell,  "  and 
also,  your  uncle's  respectable  house  is  a  much  safer 
place  for  a  young  girl  than  the  court  precincts  into 
which  Lady  Pomfret  will  take  you.  For  in  London 
you  will  have  to  keep  your  tongue  from  evil  speaking 
about  King  George,  whether  you  like  it  or  like  it  not, 
miss,  and  your  wise  grandmother  will  be  a  proper 
person  to  teach  you  to  do  so." 

Then  Bernicia  lifted  her  black  brows  scornfully, 
and  sang  to  its  saucy  melody, 

"  Geordie  sits  in  Charlie's  chair, 

Bonnie  laddie,  Hieland  laddie, 
Had  I  my  will  he'd  no  sit  there, 

Bonnie  laddie,  Hieland  laddie  ! 
Keep  up  your  heart,  for  Charlie  fight, 

Bonnie  laddie,  Hieland  laddie, 
Come  what  will,  you've  done  what's  right. 

Bonnie  laddie,  Hieland  laddie  !  " 

"Stop  such  silly  ranting,  Bernicia.  You  are  not 
fit  for  the  world  at  all." 

"  Not  for  the  Hanoverian  world.  I  could  not 
creep  through  a  rat-hole  of  dishonour  into  it." 

"You  talk  like  a  fool.  It  is  time  you  were  under 
restraint.  I  shall  be  thankful  to  resign  you  to  Mme. 
Bouverie." 

"Perhaps  grandmother  will  decline  me.  I  hope 
she  may.  I  have  no  desire  to  hear  uncle's  household 
singing  with  their  psalms,  every  morning  and  night, 
'God  Save  Great  George,  our  King.'  I  do  not  know 
what  might  happen  if  I  were  tempted  to  such  a  degree." 

In  such  a  wilful  mood  she  had  commenced  her 
journey  to  London.  She  had  no  company  but  her 


l6  BERNICIA. 

cousin,  Allan  Cresswell,  and  her  woman,  Tarset.  But 
then  Tarset  was  a  multitude  ;  for  she  had  been,  in  some 
way  or  other,  part  of  the  young  lady's  whole  life. 
Allan  Cresswell  had  endeavoured  to  separate  them,  but 
without  avail,  and  he  was  perhaps  as  thankful  to  rid 
himself  of  the  shrewd  Northumberland  peasant  as  of 
the  provoking  Jacobite  young  lady.  The  woman's 
out-looking  gray  eyes,  in  spite  of  their  apparent  indif 
ference,  he  knew  were  constantly  watching  him. 

After  a  tedious  journey  London  was  at  length 
reached,  and  the  little  party  went  to  the  King's  Head 
Tavern  in  Fenchurch  Street  to  refresh  themselves, 
and  to  rest  over  the  Sabbath.  The  next  day  Bernicia 
was  taken  to  Bloomsbury  Square,  and  she  certainly 
received  no  very  enthusiastic  welcome.  Yet  when 
the  first  unpleasant  sense  of  surprise  was  over,  her 
relatives  were  inclined  to  meet  her  tenderly.  William 
Bouverie  thought,  as  he  kissed  her,  that  his  niece  was 
very  fair  to  look  upon,  and  not  much  younger  than  his 
ward  Claire,  and  that  therefore  they  might  become 
friends  and  companions.  And  madame's  intents  were 
also  at  first  kindly  and  hopeful.  Her  daughter 
Frances  had  been  the  apple  of  her  heart,  and  her 
disobedience  and  desertion  the  uncomforted  grief  of 
her  life.  Perhaps  this  beauteous  child  of  the  dead 
and  unforgiven  Frances  had  been  sent  as  a  balm  for 
her  heart  wound  ! 

But  alas  !  in  a  few  hours  Bernicia  herself  shattered 
all  such  expectations.  At  her  first  catechism  she  con 
vinced  madame  that  she  was  as  much  devoted  to 
Episcopacy  as  to  Jacobitism  ;  and  with  the  passion 
of  youth  she  had  flashed  into  a  championship  of  both, 
at  the  first  breath  of  disapproval.  And  madame  also 


BERNICIA.  17 

noticed  that  Claire  Abney  regarded  this  rebellious 
girl's  disobedience  with  wonder  and  admiration. 
These  conditions  revealing  themselves  during  the  first 
day  of  Bernicia's  visit,  could  not  be  considered  of 
small  importance.  On  the  morning  of  the  second 
day  madame  sent  Claire  with  a  note  to  the  family 
minister,  and  thus  she  was  not  present  when  Lady 
Pomfret  called,  nor  yet  was  the  council  she  had  been 
sent  to  seek  available  for  the  emergency.  However, 
its  request  was  only  a  form  of  madame's  conscience. 
Under  any  circumstances  she  would  have  taken  her 
desire,  and  at  this  hour  her  desire  was  to  rid  herself 
of  a  charge  which  she  foresaw  would  be  insubordi 
nate,  and  which  also  was  not  unlikely  to  incite  Claire 
to  a  personal  assertion  she  had  not  yet  dreamed  of. 

So,  after  some  disputing  and  directing,  Lady  Pom- 
fret  was  permitted  to  take  away  her  sister  for  a  season. 
Madame  reserved  the  right  of  resuming  her  guardian 
ship,  and  insisted  upon  a  visit  each  week  from  Ber- 
nicia.  She  afterward  regretted  this  stipulation,  but 
there  are  moments  in  which  personal  feeling  triumphs 
over  wisdom  even  in  the  strongest  characters,  and 
madame,  usually  so  careful  of  the  future,  forgot  its 
interests  while  the  question  of  her  paramount  right  to 
direct  her  granddaughter's  destiny  was  in  dispute  with 
Lady  Pomfret. 

But  at  length  Bernicia  was  in  her  sister's  coach  and 
they  were  driving  through  London  streets  holding  each 
other's  hands.  They  could  not  talk  above  the  babble, 
but  the  long  repressed  sisterly  love  burned  in  each  heart 
with  a  warmth  that  hardly  needed  words,  and  yet  which 
longed  for  their  comfortable  translation  of  feeling. 
The  day  was  chilly  and  blowy,  and  so  very  Marchy 


l8  BERNICIA. 

that  they  were  glad  to  get  out  of  the  busy,  disconsolate 
streets  into  the  pleasant  chamber  of  Lady  Pomfret. 
There  was  a  bright  fire  burning,  and  before  it  stood 
a  Dutch  table,  set  with  a  small  China  and  lacquer  tea 
service.  On  their  entrance  a  black  boy  with  a  silver 
collar  round  his  neck  leaped  from  a  scarlet  blanket, 
where  he  had  been  dozing  with  a  pet  monkey  in  his 
arms. 

"  Presto,  Jackanapes  ! "  cried  Lady  Pomfret. 
"  Presto,  sirrah  !  Where  is  the  hot  water  and  the 
Hyson  ? "  and  as  the  negro  ran  to  and  fro  answering 
his  mistress's  wishes,  Bernicia  looked  at  him  with 
curiosity  and  some  dislike. 

"  That  is  all.  Go  now  to  the  cook.  Say  that  it  is 
two  by  the  clock,  and  we  dine  at  five.  Tie  up  the 
monkey  and  look  to  the  tables  and  the  counters  for 
the  play  to-night.  And  see  that  your  scarlet  spencer 
and  scarlet  stockings  are  whole.  You  may  wear  your 
silver  chain  and  your  belt  with  the  silver  bells. 
Quick  !  Go  !  " 

"  I  suppose  that  is  a  negro,"  said  Bernicia,  with  an 
affected  shudder.  "  I  have  seen  pictures  of  such 
creatures." 

"Yes,  a  Barbary  negro.  Is  he  not  delightfully 
ugly  ?  Lord  John  bought  him  for  a  Christmas  present 
for  me.  He  is  a  willing  little  devil,  so  I  keep  him  in 
my  room,  for  he  has  but  a  sad  time  of  it  with  the 
kitchen  people.  Oh,  Bernicia,  how  good  it  is  to  see 
you  !  And  how  much  has  come  to  pass  since  I  saw 
you  last  !  " 

"  Since  then  our  dear  father  and  mother  and  poor 
Jamie  are  dead,  and  Harry  is  gone  far  away.  No 
word  comes  from  him.  He  might  as  well  be  dead 


BERNICIA.  19 

also,  perhaps  better  ;  for,  Fanny,  our  people  do  declare 
that  father's  ghost  walks  constantly  in  Cresswell  court 
yard." 

"  Do  you  believe  that,  Bernicia  ?  " 

"Canobie  has  often  seen  him,  and  Tarset  also. 
You  know  how  gracious  father  was  to  all  men,  and 
they  say  that  even  now,  when  anyone  bows  to  the 
noble  wraith,  it  lifts  its  bonnet  in  return.  I  have 
often  watched  all  night,  but  he  comes  not  to  me." 

"  My  poor  little  sister,  how  lonely  you  must  have 
been  ! " 

"  Often  I  was  very  sad  and  lonely.  I  am  glad  to 
be  with  you,  Fanny." 

"  And  I  fear  the  journey  was  hard  at  this  time  of 
the  year." 

"  Indeed  the  roads  were  bad  beyond  all  badness. 
And  from  Carlisle  to  Derby  gibbets  and  skeletons 
were  that  devil  Cumberland's  milestones.  Woe's  me ! 
for  the  brave  men  who  died  for  one  brave  man  !  And 
ten  times  woe  for  the  hundreds  of  brave  men  pin 
ing  in  France  and  in  strange  countries  for  the  land 
they  will  never  see  again.  I  tell  you  truly,  sister,  there 
are  hours  in  which  I  hate  the  Stuarts  !  Yet  when 
other  people  abuse  them,  then  I  have  the  contradic 
tious  disease,  and  am  a  mad  Jacobite  on  the  instant." 

"  The  Stuarts  are  dead  and  buried,  Bernicia. 
Prince  Charles  fell  fighting  at  Culloden — or  he  ought 
to  have  done  so.  And  the  Hanover  men  are  such 
cocks  of  the  game,  that  they  would  not  suffer  an  oak 
leaf  or  a  white  rose  to  grow  in  all  England  if  they 
could  find  them.  Let  us  talk  of  the  present  and  the 
future,  the  past  is  beyond  our  recall.  What  is  your 
thought  of  cousin  Allen  Cresswell  ?" 


20  BERNICIA. 

"  He  is  for  our  injury.  He  will  put  himself  in 
poor  Harry's  shoes.  He  is  in  London  for  that  pur 
pose.  Tarset  says  so." 

"  Was  he  kind  to  you  ?  " 

"  He  did  not  dare  to  be  unkind  to  me.  Tarset 
never  left  my  side,  and  there  are  yet  many  of  our 
people  in  and  around  the  castle." 

"  Where  is  he  stopping  ?  " 

"At  the  King's  Head  in  Fenchurch  Street.  He 
had  an  expectation  of  being  asked  to  remain  at  the 
new  house  in  Bloomsbury,  but  uncle  was  not  inclined 
for  his  company." 

"  You  came  to  issue  with  our  grandmother  very 
soon  ? " 

"  I  was  made  known  to  her  on  Monday  morning, 
and  on  Tuesday  she  began  to  ask  me  questions.  I 
had  not  one  answer  that  pleased  her." 

"  What  do  you  think  of  Uncle  William  ?" 

"  He  is  grave  and  kind  ;  but  faith  !  those  who 
cross  his  will  need  not  expect  any  favour  from  him." 

"  Did  you  see  his  ward,  the  rich  Claire  Abney  ?  " 

"  I  spent  Monday  with  her.  She,  if  you  like,  is  an 
angel.  So  good  and  so  beautiful  a  creature  is  surely 
an  accident  in  this  dark  world." 

"  And  what  of  her  brother,  George  Abney?" 

"George  Abney  fell  in  love  with  me.  He  is  a 
very  proper  young  man,  dressed  handsomely  and  with 
fine  manners." 

"  Bernicia  !  how  can  you  tell  yourself  such  unlikely 
things  ?  George  Abney  fall  in  love  with  you  !  Non 
sense  !  He  has  been  taught  to  hate  a  Jacobite  with 
a  very  hatred." 

"  Yet  he  fell  in  love  with  me." 


BERNICIA.  21 

"  Pray  how  did  you  pass  the  time  ?" 

"  When  grandmother  was  not  listening,  I  talked 
with  Claire  about  Northumberland.  In  the  evening 
George  and  Claire  sang  duets  by  Mr.  Henry  Purcel, 
and  I  assure  you  they  sang  and  played  well.  George 
played  on  the  chamber  organ  and  the  flute,  and  Claire 
played  on  the  harpsichord.  And  thank  goodness  !  I 
was  not  quite  ignorant, — for  I  have  made  good  use  of 
the  old  spinet  at  Cresswell, — so  when  George  asked 
me  to  sing  a  song,  I  was  not  ashamed  to  do  so." 

"What  did  you  sing?  Have  you  seen  the  new 
pieces  by  Lully  and  Corelli  ?  " 

"  That!  -for  the  new  pieces  by  Mr.  Lully  and 
Corelli  ; "  and  she  filliped  her  finger  and  thumb 
saucily.  "  I  sang  them  the  song  of  the  Brownie  that 
sleeps  on  Cresswell  hearth — the  sad  song  of  the  little 
brown  man,  because  the  time  comes  not  for  his 
deliverance  : 

"  '  Wae's  me  !  wae's  me  ! 
The  acorn  is  not  yet 
Grown  upon  the  tree, 
That's  to  grow  the  wood, 
That's  to  make  the  cradle. 
That's  to  rock  the  bairn, 
That's  to  grow  the  man, 
That's  to  make  me  free.' 

And  George's  soul  was  in  his  eyes  as  he  listened  to 
me.  Then  I  sang  the  'Mounting  of  the  Cresswells,' 
and  at  the  last  verse  George  could  not  help  joining  in 
the  summons  : 

"  '  A  Cresswell !  A  Cresswell  !  Yet !  Yet  !  Yet  ! ' 
After  that  grandmother  stopped  the  music,  but  George 


22  BERNICIA. 

was  spellbound  ;  and  I  know  that  he  is  mad  in  love 
with  me." 

"How  many  lovers  have  you  left  in  Northumber 
land  ?  " 

"  The  land  is  now  barren  of  men  worth  a  wedding 
ring.  All  the  good  men  are  in  their  graves  or  in  exile. 
I  used  to  sing  about  the  castle  in  the  daytime,  just 
what  the  Brownie  sang  in  the  night-time. 

"  '  Wae's  me,  wae's  me  ! 
The  acorn  is  not  yet 
Grown  upon  the  tree, 
That's  to  make  the  cradle, 
That's  to  rock  the  bairn, 
That's  to  grow  the  man, 
That's  to  marry  me.'  " 

"  You  shall  have  lovers  to  pick  and  choose  from, 
Bernicia  ;  lovers  plentiful  as  blackberries  in  season, 
so  do  not  be  in  a  hurry,  but  choose  carefully." 

"  Still,  as  you  know,  Fanny,  the  devil  goes  through 
the  blackberry  vines  on  Michaelmas  Day,  and  then  it 
is  over  with  them.  How  soon  is  a  girl's  Michaelmas  ? 
When  she  is  twenty  years  old  ?  Or  may  she  stand  till 
she  is  five-and-twenty  ?  " 

"  All  this  is  the  prettiest  rant,  Bernicia,  but  now  I 
must  call  my  woman  and  she  shall  dress  you  in  the 
latest  mode  ;  for  Lord  John  seldom  comes  alone  to 
dinner,  and  though  in  that  black  dress  you  look  like 
the  silver  moon  begirt  with  clouds,  I  am  resolved  to 
give  your  beauty  a  fairer  setting." 

Then  Jackanapes  was  hurried  here  and  there,  and  the 
woman  to  dress  Bernicia  was  called,  and  in  five  minutes 
the  chairs  were  littered  with  petticoats,  and  sacques,  and 
stomachers  ;  with  silk  hose  and  red-heeled  shoes,  and 


BERNICIA.  23 

buckles  and  ribbons  and  laces  in  great  variety.  And 
Bernicia  sat  before  the  mirror  and  watched  the  trans 
formation  of  her  beauty.  She  had  not  before  under 
stood  how  much  silvered  brocade  and  pale  satin  and 
fine  lace  enhance  the  charms  of  youth  ;  nor  felt  the 
personal  elation  which  comes  with  the  last  touches  of 
a  becoming  toilet.  She  looked  at  herself  a  moment 
and  blushed  at  her  own  beauty. 

"  You  are  fleshly  perfect,  Bernicia,"  said  Lady 
Pomfret,  with  an  air  of  admiration.  "  You  have  the 
glory  of  faultless  health.  You  are  like  sunshine  danc 
ing  on  a  spring  day.  You  are  so  brilliantly  animated 
at  all  points,  I  could  fancy  that  you  lived  only  on 
live  things.  Go  to  the  parlours  and  admire  yourself 
a  little  until  your  courtiers  arrive.  I  shall  have  to 
wear  diamonds  and  rubies  if  I  am  to  stand  at  your 
side." 

The  parlours  were  long,  low  rooms,  lighted  with  wax 
candles,  and  on  the  marble  hearths  bright  fires  of  oak 
and  ash  logs  were  burning.  There  was  a  cabinet  full 
of  shells  and  corals  in  one  corner,  and  in  another 
recess  receptacles  for  agates,  minerals,  and  medals. 
Exquisite  tables  by  Baptist,  inlaid  with  flowers  and 
fruits  and  birds  of  stone,  held  treasures  of  lacquer- 
ware  from  Japan,  and  of  chinaware  from  Pekin. 
There  were  some  good  pictures  upon  the  walls,  and 
also  an  open  harpsichord  with  a  violin  lying  upon  it. 

Bernicia  touched  the  tinkling  notes,  but  she  did  not 
sit  down  to  do  so.  She  was  unaccustomed  to  a  large 
hoop  and  so  much  splendour,  and  her  long  brocade 
sacque  was  easier  to  manage  upon  her  feet.  So  she 
wandered  slowly  round  the  room  looking  at  the 
painted  faces  upon  the  walls.  In  the  soft  light  of  the 


24  BERNICIA. 

wax  candles  these  faces  of  dead  beauties  and  great 
men  had  a  singular  attraction. 

"  They  look  melancholy,"  she  thought ;  "as  if  they 
were  sad  at  no  longer  being  alive.  I  wonder  if  they 
knew  one  another." 

Suddenly  there  was  a  sound  of  voices  and  a  gay 
laugh  ;  then  a  footman  flung  wide  the  door  and  two 
gentlemen  entered.  One  was  Lord  Pomfret.  Ber- 
nicia  remembered  him  perfectly.  The  other  was  a 
young  man  unknown  to  her.  These  things  were  seen 
at  a  glance.  Her  presence  also  was  noted,  for  there 
was  an  instant's  silence,  and  in  that  instant  Bernicia 
did  as  her  heart  dictated,  and  went  frankly  forward 
with  her  hand  extended,  saying  : 

"  I  am  Bernicia  Cresswell.  And  you  are  Lord 
Pomfret  ?  I  remember  you  well." 

"  Most  welcome,  sister  !  If  I  did  not  remember 
you,  it  would  be  extremely  easy  to  learn  your  face, 
and  quite  impossible  to  forget  it.  My  friend  Lord 
Rashleigh,  I  am  sure,  wishes  to  know  you.  And  pray, 
miss,  where  is  your  sister,  Lady  Pomfret  ? " 

"  Fanny  prepares  herself  for  your  admiration. 
She  will  be  here  anon." 

The  promise  was  hardly  made  when  Lady  Pomfret 
entered,  and  her  presence  put  everyone  delightfully  at 
their  ease.  In  a  breeze  of  gay  persiflage  they  sat 
down  to  dinner,  Lady  Pomfret  crying  : 

"  I  give  you  leave  now,  my  lord,  to  rail  at  the  cook 
and  the  victuals,  at  the  butler,  and  the  wine,  and  the 
serving  as  much  as  it  pleases  you.  Honours  are  now 
easy,  for  Bernicia  and  I  together  are  sufficient  for  all 
malcontents." 

"  If  you  are  not,  then  I  also  am  on  your  side,"  said 


BERNICIA.  25 

Lord  Rashleigh,  looking  at  Bernicia  with  shining 
eyes. 

Lady  Pomfret  acknowledged  his  allegiance  by  ask 
ing  :  "  Pray  why  were  you  not  at  Holland  House  last 
night  ?  Mr.  Fox  gave  a  fine  ball  in  the  brave  old  place. 
All  the  beauties  and  all  the  uglies  were  there." 

"  Will  you  believe  that  I  was  at  Lady  Huntington's? 
To  be  sure,  you  may  laugh,  but  I  can  tell  you  that 
Methodism  is  becoming  more  fashionable  than  any 
thing  but  brag  or  faro.  This  George  Whitefield  is 
indeed  a  wonder.  You  know  Lord  Bellhouse,  and 
that  he  has  never  an  idea  that  is  not  spotted  with 
clubs,  spades,  hearts,  and  diamonds.  Well,  Mr. 
Whitefield  has  preached  the  cards  out  of  his  hands. 
It  will  be  the  saving  of  his  estate.  My  Lady  Hunt- 
ington  has  even  hopes  of  his  soul." 

"  I  have  heard  much  of  this  Mr.  Whitefield,  and 
that  he  is  a  man  of  low  birth,"  said  Lord  Pomfret. 
"  Do  people  of  any  consideration  go  to  hear  him  ? " 

"  Indeed,  Lady  Huntington's  splendid  house  in 
Park  Street  was  crowded  with  notables.  Lord 
Chesterfield  and  Lord  Bolingbroke  were  present,  and 
Mr.  Lyttleton  and  many  others  of  equal  rank  and 
wickedness.  But  the  Methodists,  as  Mr.  Walpole 
says,  love  your  big  sinners  ;  and  if  so,  they  may 
have  a  plentiful  harvest.  My  Lady  Townshend  was 
much  offended  at  the  sermon,  which,  she  declares, 
mixes  us  of  the  pinnacle  with  the  dust  of  the  vulgar 
herd." 

"  Lady  Townshend  has  a  temper  to  quarrel  with 
everyone,"  said  Lady  Pomfret.  "She  lives  in  a 
vinegar  bottle,  and  as  for  being  offended,  we  all  know 
that  she  plays  as  deeply  at  Methodism  as  at  brag." 


26  BERNICIA. 

"  I  think  we  neglect  Miss  Cresswell,  who  can  know 
nothing  of  Mr.  Whitefield  and  Methodism,"  said 
Lord  Rashleigh.  "  Shall  we  take  her  to  Richmond 
to-morrow,  and  to  Drury  Lane  afterward  ?  There 
is  a  new  comedy  which  succeeds,  and  Garrick  and 
Barry  and  Mrs.  Woffington  and  Mrs.  Gibber  are  in  it." 

Bernicia  acknowledged  the  invitation  with  a  beam 
ing  smile,  and  the  conversation  drifted  hither  and 
thither,  from  the  play  to  politics  and  court  scandal. 
And  the  evening  went  with  Lord  Rashleigh  as  time 
had  never  gone  before,  though  cards  were  not  thought 
of,  and  there  was  no  dancing,  and  no  music  but  the 
fresh  sweet  voice  of  Bernicia  singing  of  "Bonnie 
Bobbie  Shafto,"  or  of  the  little  brown  man  that  lived 
on  the  Cresswell  hearthstone.  But  even  Lord  Pomfret 
was  charmed  with  an  evening  so  unusual  and  so 
domestic. 

"  I  never  missed  my  game,"  he  said  to  Lady  Fanny  ; 
"and  I  am  sure  the  pretty  Bernicia  will  set  the 
tongues  of  the  town  wagging.  I  think  Lord  Rash 
leigh  was  struck  with  love  for  her.  What  do  you 
think,  Fanny  ?  " 

"  I  think  he  lost  his  senses  entirely.  But  then  he 
who  does  not  lose  his  senses  when  in  love,  has  no 
senses  to  lose." 

"  It  would  be  a  good  marriage  for  Bernicia.  Will 
she  marry  him,  think  you  ?  " 

"  Perhaps — if  he  can  find  the  lucky  moment  in 
which  to  ask  her.  That  is  the  great  favour  in  love 
affairs." 


-    CHAPTER   II. 

THE    HOUSE   OF   BOUVERIE. 

THINGS  thick  and  threefold  crowded  into  the  con 
sciousness  of  William  Bouverie  one  fine  morning  in 
May.  There  was  a  ship  from  Muscovy  to  unload,  and 
one  bound  for  China  to  dispatch.  He  had  also  been 
advised  that  some  paintings  from  Holland  were  at  the 
Customs,  and  he  had  promised  to  be  present  at  the 
Old  Jewry  Meetinghouse  to  hear  Frederic  Christian 
Schwartz  lecture.  Now,  Schwartz  was  on  his  way  to  the 
East  Indies,  carrying  there  the  first  tidings  of  the  Gos 
pel  ;  a  man  of  renown,  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  will 
ing  to  lay  down  his  life  for  the  heathen.  And  Bouverie 
was  greatly  interested  in  this  new  form  of  Christian 
labour.  He  thought  of  the  rulers  of  the  church  and 
of  the  famous  laymen  who  would  march  together  up 
Ludgate  Hill  to  the  Chapter  House  of  St.  Paul's,  and 
he  felt,  whatever  came  or  went,  he  must  also  be  there, 
to  listen  to  the  reports  of  foreign  proceedings,  and  to 
vote  upon  the  important  questions. 

It  was  this  consideration  that  made  him  remember 
Bernicia  ;  for  it  was  Wednesday,  and  Wednesday  was 
the  day  on  which  her  weekly  visit  was  made.  For 
some  time  he  had  tacitly  sanctioned  the  absence  of 
George  from  the  office  when  Bernicia  was  at  the 
house,  and  he  felt  sure  George  would  dislike  any 
interference  with  this  pleasant  custom.  He  knew  that 

27 


28  BERNICIA. 

if  the  day  was  fine  the  young  people  were  likely  to 
row  on  the  river,  or  ride  out  as  far  as  Richmond  Hill, 
or  otherwise,  that  they  would  play  and  sing  together, 
or  talk  confidentially  a  little  outside  of  the  grand 
mother's  hearing,  or  that  the  girls  would  work  at  their 
embroidery  and  George  read  aloud  to  them. 

And  he  was  aware  that  George  now  lived  for  this 
weekly  visit ;  for  though  the  young  man  was  exceed 
ingly  reticent,  love  must  be  manifest,  and  George 
could  not  help  discovering  that  he  was  in  love  with 
Bernicia  Cresswell.  This  alliance  Bouverie  did  not 
approve,  but  as  yet  he  had  offered  no  actual  opposi 
tion.  He  hoped  that  familiarity  might  breed  indiffer 
ence,  for  his  experience  had  in  no  way  taught  him  the 
larger  truth — that  familiarity  as  often  breeds  liking  as 
disliking. 

However,  he  was  not  a  man  to  hurry  in  any  matter. 
He  took  his  breakfast  with  deliberation,  and  called 
his  household  together  after  it  for  the  daily  worship. 
Claire  knelt  at  his  side  and  her  hand  lay  under  his 
hand  as  he  prayed.  Madame  was  not  now  able  to 
kneel ;  she  stood  upright  with  her  eyes  closed  and 
her  hands  folded  on  the  top  of  her  ebony  staff.  The 
Bible  was  spread  open  on  the  table,  a  visible  and 
sacred  covenant,  and  the  solemn  tones  of  prayer  for  a 
little  space  pervaded  the  house. 

Then  there  was  a  moment's  silence,  a  muffled  stir, 
and  the  servants  shuffled  noiselessly  away.  Madame 
seated  herself  and  began  to  knit,  and  George  walked 
to  the  window  to  watch  for  Bernicia's  approach.  Only 
Claire  did  not  at  once  throw  off  the  other  worldness  : 
she  stood  motionless,  with  her  eyes  cast  down  and  a 
radiance  on  her  face  which  was  something  more  than 


THE    HOUSE   OF    BOUVERIE.  29 

mere  colour.  Bouverie  understood  that  it  was  the 
shining  of  the  soul  through  its  fleshly  veil,  and  he 
drew  her  within  his  arm  and  blessed  her.  For  men, 
conscious  of  their  own  worldliness,  love  to  feel  that 
there  is  on  their  hearthstones  a  soul  purer  than 
their  own. 

"  George,"  he  said,  "Christian  Schwartz  lectures  to 
day.  He  is  going  to  the  East  Indies  ;  going  to  preach 
Christ  to  those  who  have  never  heard  the  name  of 
Christ." 

"  If  he  be  sent  of  God,  sir,  it  is  a  great  honour 
for  him." 

"  And  after  the  lecture,  there  is  the  Mission  Meet 
ing  at  St.  Paul's  Chapter  House.  This  thing  sits  near 
my  heart.  I  desire  to  be  present.  Can  you  manage 
affairs  without  me  ? " 

Before  George  could  answer  the  door  opened  with 
a  little  flurry  and  Bernicia  entered.  She  seemed  to 
bring  the  sunshine  in  with  her,  for  suddenly  the  room 
was  flooded  with  it.  "You  see  I  met  the  spring,"  she 
cried,  as  she  courtesied  to  her  grandmother  and  uncle, 
and  then  with  a  pretty  bit  of  affectation  made  George 
Abney  a  still  deeper  reverence.  "  I  met  the  spring 
the  other  day  when  I  was  in  Richmond  Park,"  she 
continued,  "  and  I  have  lilac'd  and  syringa'd  myself 
to  imitate  her,"  and  she  spread  out  her  pale  yellowish- 
green  petticoat  and  her  lilac  and  cream-white  gown, 
and  touched  her  Leghorn  hat,  which  was  caught  up 
and  back,  and  looped  down,  with  sprays  of  lilacs  and 
syringas. 

No  one  could  resist  the  gay  girl.  Her  uncle  bowed 
with  a  mock  ceremony  and  then  kissed  her.  Madame 
smiled  for  a  moment,  and  Claire  embraced  her  with 


3O  BERNICIA. 

happy  affection.  As  for  George,  his  whole  soul  was  in 
the  sense  of  vision.  Until  Bernicia  disappeared  with 
Claire  his  eyes  were  fixed  upon  her ;  even  then  his 
spiritual  sight  perceived  the  two  girls  treading  the 
wide  stairway  hand  in  hand,  with  the  lights  of  the 
many  coloured  windows  glorifying  them. 

"George!" 

George  sighed  heavily  and  answered,  "  Sir." 

"  There  is  the  way  of  duty  and  there  is  the  way  of 
pleasure.  You  can  take  the  one  or  the  other,  as  it 
best  pleases  you." 

Then  the  young  man  shook  himself  like  one  awaken 
ing  from  a  dream.  His  spirit  became  erect  and  his 
body  caught  the  strength  of  the  attitude.  "  The  way 
of  duty  is  the  way  of  pleasure,  sir,"  he  answered, 
"  and  I  will  take  it  on  the  instant." 

"  Then  I  shall  go  with  content  to  the  Old  Jewry  to 
hear  Schwartz  ?  " 

"You  may  go  without  a  care,  sir.  I  hope,  indeed, 
that  you  may  better  all  your  desires  in  this  matter." 
With  these  words  he  went  away,  and  Bouverie  stood  a 
moment  at  the  window  and  watched  him.  "  He  is  a 
good  lad,"  he  said,  half  to  himself  and  half  to  madame, 
and  the  old  lady  answered  : 

"Have  patience,  William.  Every  man  plays  the 
fool  once  in  his  life." 

"And  George  has  a  sufficient  'wherefore.'  We 
must  admit  that,  mother.  Bernicia  is  beautiful  and 
charming  indeed." 

"  She  falls  short  in  every  grace,  if  you  measure  her 
by  Claire." 

"  There  is  no  common  measure  between  them,  and 
there  is  no  comparison.  The  rose  is  the  rose,  and  the 


THE    HOUSE    OF   BOUVERIE.  31 

lily  is  the  lily,  and  the  Best  of  Beings  is  the  Maker  of 
both.  Would  it  please  you,  mother,  to  send  a  gift  by 
me  to  the  India  Mission  ? " 

"  In  faith,  it  would  not,  son  William.  It  is  only  God 
can  give  with  both  hands.  I  know  that  you  will  do 
all  that  falls  to  the  duty  of  our  house,  and  it  is  better 
you  should  do  it ;  for  you  are  a  man  of  consequence 
in  the  world.  I  am  an  unknown  woman." 

"  God  will  not  count  sex  with  or  against  you.  In 
the  building  of  the  walls  of  Jerusalem,  not  only  Shal- 
lum,  but  Shallum's  daughters  helped." 

"  If  God  blesses  the  India  Mission,  it  will  not  need 
my  help." 

"  Job's  last  prosperity  was  not  only  of  God's  bless 
ing  but  of  his  friend's  charity.  Every  man  gave  him 
a  piece  of  money  and  an  earring  of  gold." 

"  I  give  to  my  own  meetinghouse,  and  I  keep  a 
student  for  the  ministry  with  the  good  Dr.  Dodd- 
ridge.  England  is  nearer  to  me  than  the  ends  of 
the  earth,  son  William.  Blessed  is  the  work  of  mod 
eration." 

"  It  receives  only  the  wages  and  blessing  of  modera 
tion.  And  I  assure  you,  though  India  be  at  the  ends 
of  the  earth,  it  is  of  our  vitals  ;  it  is  an  artery  of 
England  and  must  be  Christianized." 

"  William,  it  comes  to  this — you  are  for  the  India 
Mission  by  all  means,  I  by  no  means.  Contradictions 
beget  one  another,  and  I  am  in  too  naked  a  temper 
this  morning  to  say  what  I  do  not  think  ;  or  give 
where  I  do  not  want  to  give." 

"Then  good-morning,  mother." 

"  Good-morning,  William.  Going  to  the  Old  Jewry 
take  some  prudence  with  you." 


32  BERNICIA. 

"  And  as  you  knit,  mother,  I  would  have  you  think. 
You  may  then  come  to  a  more  liberal  temper." 

"  I  may  come  to  eat  salt  with  my  pickled  herring, 
but  it  is  not  among  the  likelihoods." 

Nor  was  it.  Madame's  charities  were  large,  but  they 
were  of  a  definite  kind.  The  Lime  Street  Meeting 
gave  her  a  rigid  account  of  them,  and  the  young  men 
whose  education  she  had  been  in  continuance  respon 
sible  for,  vouched  for  her  wisdom  by*  assuming  the 
bands  and  gown  of  preachers  of  the  Word.  All  this 
new-born  enthusiasm  about  foreign  missions  did  not 
affect  madame.  As  she  continued  her  knitting  she 
only  said  to  herself  :  "  There  will  be  a  great  crowd 
present,  and  they  will  set  one  another  on  fire  in  the 
dark,  for  as  to  India,  they  know  by  halves  and  they 
talk  by  wholesale.  I  will  put  my  God-pennies  in  a 
surer  bag." 

In  about  an  hour  the  girls  returned  to  the  parlour. 
Bernicia  had  removed  her  gay  dress,  and  now  wore  a 
gown  of  brown  sarsnet  and  a  little  tippet  of  Delhi 
mull  ruffled  with  lace.  Madame  regarded  the  change 
with  approval.  "  You  look  more  womanly,  Bernicia," 
she  said  ;  "  and  sevenfold  fairer.  I  wonder  that 
Fanny  encourages  you  in  such  fopperies." 

"  There  is  no  dispensing  with  them,  grandmother, 
We  have  to  dress  as  the  world  dresses.  It  is  but  good 
manners  to  ourselves,  you  know.  Where  has  George 
gone  ?  I  have  brought  a  most  melodious  song  set  by 
Mr.  Carey,  and  I  expected  him  to  sing  it  with  me.  It 
runs  in  this  fashion — very  softly  discoursed  : 

"  '  While  in  a  bower  with  beauty  blest.'  " 
"  Cease,  Bernicia  !     I  have  no  mind  for  playhouse 


THE    HOUSE    OF    BOUVERIE.  33 

ditties  ;  and  I  am  glad  George  is  not  here  to-day, 
either  to  help  or  to  listen  to  you." 

"  Why,  grandmother,  you  speak  angrily  !  One  would 
think  it  was  a  matter  of  excommunication  to  sing  a 
love  ditty." 

"It  is  a  matter  beyond  discussion — so  much  for 
that !  " 

Then  the  girls  sat  down  to  their  embroidery  frames, 
and  Bernicia  was  snubbed  and  a  little  angry.  She  had 
dressed  herself  for  an  afternoon's  outing  with  George, 
and  he  had  evidently  left  the  house  without  an  apology 
for  his  absence. 

"  George  has  behaved  very  badly,"  she  whispered 
to  Claire. 

"  He  will  beg  you  a  thousand  pardons,  Bernicia. 
He  will  beg  them  so  feelingly  that  you  will  be  com 
pelled  to  forgive  him.  For  only  the  most  important 
business  could  make  him  disappoint  himself  so  far." 

"  I  dare  say  I  shall  forgive  him.  We  usually  make 
up  matters  as  fast  as  they  go  wrong.  George  is  all 
courtesy  and  kindness,  milk  and  honey,  but  for  all 
that,  he  went  away  without  any  assurance  that  it  de 
solated  his  life  to  do  so  ;  or  broke  his  heart,  or  even 
put  him  in  a  perilous  passion." 

"  Because  it  did  none  of  these  things.  A  business 
man  is  obliged  to  attend  to  business." 

"  Business  !  Such  a  dog-trot  of  a  life  !  I  do  believe 
he  lives  with  a  single  eye  to  money-getting." 

"  You  know  better,  Bernicia.  You  Bought  to  treat 
George  more  justly.  I  thought  you  liked  him." 

"  Yes,  I  am  pleased  with  him  ;  I  know  not  why, 
nor  care  wherefore.  I  denied  myself  all  my  airs  to 
day,  and  gave  him  a  smile  that  should  have  made 


34  BERNICIA. 

everything  in  my  image  and  likeness.  Then  while  I 
change  my  gown,  he  is  gone.  However,  it  is  not  a 
two-penny  matter." 

"  Bernicia,  what  have  you  been  doing  this  week  ?  " 
asked  madame  suddenly.  "  I  trust  you  have  not 
altogether  wasted  your  time  ?  " 

"  In  faith,  no  !  I  have  knit  and  sewed,  and  been  to 
dances  and  concerts,  and  done  my  little  coquetries 
very  well.  I  was  going  to  hear  Mr.  Whitefield  preach, 
but  the  Prince  of  Wales  gave  a  silver  cup  to  be  rowed 
for,  and  this  carried  everyone  to  the  Thames.  Then 
I  was  tired,  and  Tarset  put  me  to  bed." 

"  So  you  missed  Mr.  Whitefield  ?  Oh,  what  a 
pity  !  "  ejaculated  Claire. 

"Yes,  I  fell  into  one  of  my  little  rages  about  it,  and 
then  Tarset  told  me  I  had  far  better  go  to  St.  Paul's 
and  hear  morning  prayers.  She  went  on  about  being 
fair  starved  for  a  service,  and  was  so  sure  that  my 
dear  mother  in  heaven  was  having  a  heartache  for  the 
churchless  way  I  was  living  in,  that  I  fell  into  a  fit  of 
crying,  and  so  on  till  I  dropped  asleep." 

"And  in  the  morning,  what?  "  asked  madamCj  lift 
ing  her  eyes  from  her  work  and  looking  steadily  at 
Bernicia. 

"  In  the  morning  Tarset  and  I  went  to  St.  Paul's. 
And  I  heard  the  most  heavenly  music,  and  the 
prayers  seemed  to  be  a  part  of  it,  and  all  was  so  sol 
emn  and  peaceful  and  melodious  that  I  came  away 
sweetly  religious  and  happy.  As  for  Tarset,  the  tears 
of  joy  rolled  down  her  cheeks.  She  said  she  was  not 
a  bit  opinion-tied,  but  give  her  the  Church  of  Eng 
land  and  her  prayer-book  !  They  were  her  mother 
and  her  mother's  milk,  and  she  had  been  clear  and 


THE    HOUSE    OF    BOUVERIE.  35 

sheer  starved  for  them  ;  and  as  for  Mr.  Whitefield,  or 
Mr.  Wesley  either,  she  had  heard  things  that  put  them 
both  in  a  bad  light." 

"  What  things  ?  "  asked  madame  sharply. 

"  Well,  calling  everybody  sinners  but  themselves. 
Tarset  says  *  it  isn't  likely,  and  that  neither  the  quality 
nor  the  common  people  are  used  to  it.  They  don't 
relish  such  setdowns,  and  who  would  ? '  She  always 
talks  that  way,  does  Tarset,  when  she  is  heart-hot 
about  anything,"  explained  Bernicia,  with  a  pretty 
emotion.  And  even  madame  smiled  at  the  broad 
Northumberland  burr,  and  the  homely  dialect  into 
which  Bernicia  had  naturally  fallen  as  soon  as  she 
began  to  talk  of  Tarset  and  of  Tarset's  opinions. 

Then  the  conversation  drifted  back  to  Lady  Pomfret 
and  her  dresses  and  entertainments.  Claire  asked  the 
questions,  Bernicia  described  vividly,  and  madame 
appeared  to  be  lost  in  thought  and  quite  oblivious  to 
the  confidences  of  her  granddaughter  and  Claire. 
But  she  was  listening  intently  and  making  deductions, 
for  when  Bernicia  remarked, 

"  My  sister  Fanny  is  generosity  itself  ;  for,  though 
I  have  not  a  sixpence,  she  always  says  our  purse, " 
madame  said  sharply  : 

"  This  must  be  mended,  Bernicia.  Fanny's  purse 
is  Lord  Pomfret's  purse.  I  cannot  have  you  de 
pendent  upon  him.  Is  there  no  income  from  the 
Cresswell  estate  ?  Your  uncle  must  see  to  it.  In  the 
meantime  I  will  make  you  the  allowance  of  a  gentle 
woman,  with  some  conditions.  You  must  spend  none 
of  it  at  the  gaming-table,  nor  for  the  theatre,  nor  yet 
for  dancing-masters  or  astrologers.  It  is  for  your 
dress  and  for  your  charities,  for  lessons  in  music,  and 


36  BERNICIA. 

to  buy  good  books  and  such  things  as  you  know  I 
would  approve.  And  I  would  also  have  you  make 
Fanny  presents  rich  enough  to  release  you  from  any 
sense  of  obligation  to  a  man  who  is  no  relation  to  our 
family." 

"  Indeed,  grandmother,  I  give  you  a  thousand 
thanks  !  And  as  for  your  desires  in  the  spending,  I 
will  not  wrong  them  one  half-penny." 

Then  madame,  having  encouraged  a  generous  senti 
ment,  found  herself  carried  away  with  its  tide.  She 
said :  "  I  heard  you  and  Clair  talking  about  lace. 
Come  and  I  will  show  you  a  treasure  of  it."  So, 
wondering  and  pleased,  they  followed  madame  to  her 
room,  a  large  apartment  on  the  ground  floor,  built 
especially  for  her  requirements.  With  a  proud  delib 
eration  she  led  the  girls  to  a  case  of  drawers  made  of 
yew  wood  and  bound  with  silver,  and,  as  she  slowly 
unlocked  one  after  the  other,  she  made  them  notice 
the  exquisite  wood,  with  its  delicate  veinings  and 
shadings  of  colour.  Then,  from  many  coverings,  she 
drew  forth  collars  and  tippets,  fans  and  trimmings  of 
lace,  English  point  and  bone,  Flanders  and  Mechlin 
and  Brussels — a  little  fortune  in  woman's  handiwork. 

"  Why  do  you  not  wear  some  of  these  lovely  things 
yourself,  grandmother  ?  "  asked  Bernicia.  And  Claire 
folded  a  tippet  of  Mechlin  lace  across  her  shoulders, 
the  old  lady  smiling  faintly  at  her  finery. 

"  It  is  the  wonder  and  beauty  of  rich  lace  that  one 
is  never  too  old  or  too  young  to  wear  it,"  continued 
Bernicia.  "  And  as  for  these  treasures,  grandmother, 
I  must  leave  off  exclaiming,  for  I  have  no  more 
'  oh's '  left.  But,  faith,  I  do  wish  Fanny  could  see 
them.  She  would  be  taken  with  a  fit  of  sickness  on 


THE   HOUSE   OF    BOUVERIE.  37 

your  hands,  grandmother.  She  would  send  for  a 
doctor,  and  he  would  not  dare  to  prescribe  anything 
but  lace,  her  brains  would  be  so  whimsied  between 
Mechlin  and  Brussels." 

"  Then  I  will  avoid  so  great  an  inconvenience,  and 
send  Fanny  a  piece  of  Mechlin  by  your  hands.  And 
as  I  will  have  no  stepchildren,  Claire  and  you  may 
each  choose  a  piece  to  match  your  desire." 

"  Now  I  know  that  you  love  me,  grandmother  !  " 
cried  Bernicia. 

"  Oh,  child,  is  it  thus  you  judge  love — by  gifts?  " 

"  How  else,  indeed  ?  Can  one  judge  it  by  what  is 
invisible  ? " 

But  Claire  took  the  aged  hands  full  of  lace  be 
tween  her  own  and  kissed  them,  and  then  Bernicia 
did  likewise,  and  madame's  eyes  grew  misty  and  soft, 
though  she  said,  a  little  impatiently  : 

"  Well,  children,  it  is  years  since  I  have  done  any 
thing  so  handsome.  But  what  is  freely  given  may  be 
happily  worn.  So  carry  away  your  gifts.  I  will  be 
alone  a  while." 

Indeed,  they  saw  madame  no  more  until  the  dinner 
hour,  which  William  Bouverie,  after  his  removal  to 
Bloomsbury,  had  been  compelled  to  put  forward  to 
the  fashionable  hour  of  four  o'clock  ;  the  distance 
between  his  house  and  his  wharves  being  too  great  to 
allow  him  to  break  the  day  with  an  early  dinner.  So 
the  girls  had  a  lunch  of  Yorkshire  pie  and  curds  and 
cream,  and  then  they  wandered  about  the  house,  and 
finally  went  to  Claire's  room  to  rest  and  talk  and 
dress  for  the  evening. 

For  her  friend,  Bernicia  Cresswell,  Claire  had  one 
of  those  romantic  admirations  which  sweet  and  inno- 


38  BERNICIA. 

cent  natures  frequently  encourage  for  their  opposites. 
She  was  attracted  by  Bernicia's  brilliancy  and  bravery, 
and  also  much  interested  in  a  life  so  different  from 
her  own,  and  she  had  a  womanly  curiosity  about  its 
dressing,  its  love-making,  and  amusements — a  curi 
osity  her  heart  condemned  and  yet  indulged.  Almost 
she  wished  she  could  feel  its  many  pleasures  to  be  as 
sinless  as  Bernicia  held  them. 

This  afternoon  they  fell  into  a  more  confidential 
strain,  and  Bernicia  acknowledged  that  Lord  Rashleigh 
was  her  declared  lover,  "  and  had  fretted  himself  pale 
for  her  favour."  Perhaps  she  wished  Claire  to  tell 
George  this  news  as  a  punishment  for  his  day's  deser 
tion  ;  for  Bernicia  was  usually  modest  about  her 
lovers,  though  at  this  hour  she  was  not  disinclined  to 
talk  of  them. 

"  They  are  more  for  number  than  account,"  she 
said,  "  but  Lord  Rashleigh  is  most  impatient  under  his 
discomfort.  He  vows  he  cannot  eat  or  sleep  or  play, 
and  he  is  sometimes  cross  for  a  word  of  encourage 
ment.  But  Fanny  says  truly  that  I  know  not  yet  my 
own  mind,  and  so  shall  not  be  hurried  and  flurried,  for 
if  a  lover  be  worth  a  wedding  ring,  he  improves  with 
the  keeping." 

"  And  what  says  Lord  Rashleigh  ?  Does  he  not 
give  his  impatience  some  expression  ? " 

"  He  shows  a  proper  spirit  enough  ;  one  very  suita 
ble  to  his  race  and  breeding.  All  men  bear  love- 
longing  very  ill,  but  a  German  will  drink  it  or  sleep 
it  away,  and  a  Frenchman  will  cry  or  talk  it  away. 
Rashleigh,  being  an  Englishman,  '  Hangs  it !  '  and 
*  Damns  it ! '  and  is  as  selfishly  impatient  as  a  weaning 
baby." 


THE    HOUSE    OF    BOUVERIE.  39 

"  Will  you  marry  him  at  the  last  ?  " 

"  Who  can  tell  ?  Why  should  one  marry  at  all  in 
this  life  ?  Unmarried  people  are  the  fashion  in  heaven. 
Fanny  says  there  is  no  necessity  to  be  in  a  hurry." 

11  Does  not  Lord  Pomfret  urge  you  to  be  more  kind 
to  his  friend  ? " 

"  Fanny  will  not  suffer  him  to  talk  to  me  about 
Rashleigh.  She  tells  him  to  take  care  of  the  affairs  of 
the  state,  and  leave  my  little  love  affairs  to  her. 
You  must  know  that  Lord  Pomfret  is  always  full  of 
his  dirty,  quarrelsome  politics.  His  talk  is  of  the 
European  nations.  You  should  see  these  statesmen, 
Claire,  throwing  their  dice  every  evening  and  prophe 
sying  war.  They  never  expect  anything  but  war,  and 
if  war,  then  of  course  victory.  When  the  world  is  at 
peace  they  are  unhappy,  until  someone  begins  to  play 
the  devil  for  them." 

"  Bernicia,  are  you  not  afraid  to  speak  in  that  way  ? 
I  can  tell  you  that  madame  does  not  like  anyone  but 
divines  to  talk  so  familiarily  of  the — devil." 

Claire  said  the  last  word  very  softly  and  reluctantly, 
and  Bernicia  laughed.  "  La,  my  dear  !  "  she  cried, 
"  I  generally  speak  very  well  of  him.  He  is  such  an 
important  person,  one  cannot  talk  about  him  as  if  he 
was  not  in  good  society.  How  would  grandmother 
like  to  be  called  Mme.  Bouverie  ? "  And  Bernicia 
mimicked  Claire's  abashed  pronunciation  with  a 
twinkling  timorous  manner  that  annoyed  her. 

"  I  do  not  think  it  is  right,"  she  answered,  "  to 
make  any  comparisons  between  your  grandmother 
and — and " 

"  The  other  person.  It  is  not.  I  was  very  wrong 
to  do  so,  especially  as  grandmother  has  covered  all 


40  BERNICIA. 

her  shortcomings  to  me  with  such  lace.  Come,  let  us 
dress  ourselves  to  the  very  height  !  Give  me  a  needle 
and  some  flax,  Claire,  and  I  will  trim  the  front  of  my 
green  petticoat  with  it,  and  ruffle  my  throat  band,  and 
my  sleeves,  and  make  myself  '  Spring  in  a  mist.'  As 
for  you,  only  cross  that  lovely  tippet  over  your  sky- 
blue  tabinet,  and  you  will  look  like  an  angel.  Grand 
mother  will  be  delighted." 

"  Oh  !  I  think  you  are  mistaken.  Such  dressing 
will  not  please  her." 

"  Yes,  it  will.  You  may  do  anything,  so  it  be  with 
an  assurance.  Quick  !  the  needles  and  the  flax." 

"  I  know  madame  better." 

"  My  sweet  Claire,  madame  does  not  know  herself. 
She  thinks  she  is  greedy,  and  she  is  generous.  She 
thinks  she  is  pious,  and  she  is  worldly.  She  has  no 
idea  what  a  delightful  old  lady  she  really  is.  Come, 
let  us  have  a  venture  !  " 

The  girl  had  leaped  to  her  feet  in  an  enthusiasm, 
and  even  as  she  spoke  was  spreading  out  her  green 
petticoat  and  puckering  the  lace  across  its  front  width. 
Then  Claire  gave  her  the  needle  and  thread,  smiling 
at  her  impulsive  hurry.  She  had  all  the  native 
strength  of  character  to  oppose  Bernicia's  plans,  but 
she  did  not  think  it  an  occasion  for  contradiction. 
Perhaps  after  all  Bernicia  might  be  right.  So  she  fell 
into  Bernicia's  mood,  watching  her  as  the  needle  sped 
in  and  out,  until  the  lovely  filament  hung  like  fairy's 
work  over  the  rich  brocades.  And  how  they  chattered 
and  exclaimed,  and  admired,  as  the  business  of  the 
toilet  went  on.  Two  girls  never  made  a  merrier  rob 
ing,  and  when  it  was  finished  Bernicia  was  laughing 
with  delight,  as  she  danced  up  to  the  looking-glass. 


THE    HOUSE    OF    BOUVERIE.  41 

"  I  am  in  love  with  myself,"  she  cried.  "  I  am  so 
airy  and  so  fairy  !  Do  I  look  like  a  butterfly,  Claire  ? 
Do  I  ?  do  I  ?  do  I  look  like  a  butterfly,  Claire  ? "  she 
cried,  in  a  charming  crescendo. 

"  You  are  enchanting  from  top  to  toe,  Bernicia. 
Poor  George  !  " 

"  Poor  George  !  I  am  amazingly  sorry  for  him." 
Then  she  examined  Claire  with  an  air  of  satisfaction. 
"  In  faith,  I  must  give  you  back  your  compliment," 
she  said.  "  You  look  celestial,  Claire.  Sky-blue  silk 
and  a  Brussel's  tippet  is  ravishing.  What  a  pity  you 
have  not  a  lover  to  see  you  !  " 

"  Once  I  had  a  lover,"  said  Claire  very  softly. 

" '  Had!  Ah,  Clare,  'had*  is  such  a  word  as  is  full 
of  tragedy.  It  comes  from  the  house  which  astrolo 
gers  call  '  the  end  of  all  things.'  Now  you  are  going 
to  tell  me  a  story, — something  strange  and  secret, 
something  sad  and  passionate, — for  nothing  is  a  wonder 
in  love." 

"  Nothing  strange  or  secret,  sad  or  passionate,  can 
I  tell  you.  'Tis  a  very  plain  matter  indeed.  He  was 
George's  friend,  and  they  were  at  school  together. 
And  I  was  at  school  in  the  same  town,  so  whenever 
George  called  to  see  me,  his  friend  came  with  him. 
That  is  all.  He  never  told  me  that  I  was  loved  by 
him,  but  I  knew  it.  Then  his  father  sent  him  to 
travel,  and  if  his  love  has  kept  through  chance  and 
change,  I  may  have  a  lover  yet." 

"  Is  that  all  ? " 

"  That  is  all." 

"  His  name,  Claire  ?     Is  it  within  my  knowledge  ?  " 

"  He  is  the  son  of  the  rich  Mr.  Hatton  of  Hatton- 
Hurst.  His  name  is  Oliver  Augustus  Hatton." 


42  BERNICIA. 

11 A  lordly  name  !  I  hope  he  fits  it  on  every  side. 
Is  he  handsome  ?  Is  he  tall  ?  Is  he  well  bred  ?  Is 
he  sprightly  ?  Can  he  love  ?  Has  he  honour  ?  In 
short,  is  he  the  most  perfect  character  in  existence  ? 
If  not,  he  is  unworthy  of  you." 

"  I  have  told  you  so  much  soberly." 

"  Soberly  !  How  can  anyone  be  sober  in  love  ? 
Do  you  not  weep  for  him  ?  Do  you  not  long  for 
him?  Do  you  not  write  to  him?  When  do  you 
expect  to  see  him  again  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  weep  for  him,  nor  long  for  him,  nor  yet 
write  to  him.  And  he  has  seen  so  many  new  faces,  he 
may  have  forgotten  mine.  I  may  be  loved  no  longer." 

"  La,  I  do  not  think  that !  I  heard  Sister  Fanny 
say  she  had  never  found  that  people  loved  each  other 
less  for  living  asunder.  She  was  speaking  of  Lord 
and  Lady  Thurston,  who  see  next  to  nothing  of  each 
other." 

"  See  how  we  trifle,  Bernicia.  I  am  sure  it  is  time 
we  made  our  appearance.  George  will  count  every 
minute  a  loss  that  he  sees  you  not." 

So  they  went  down  to  the  parlour  in  a  little  hurry, 
and  found  that  William  Bouverie  was  already  there. 
He  was  sitting  with  a  stranger,  a  man  who  had  lived 
in  Riga  for  fifteen  years,  carrying  on  business  there, 
mainly  for  the  interest  of  the  house  of  Bouverie.  He 
looked  at  Claire  and  Bernicia  as  if  they  had  suddenly 
descended  from  Jupiter,  and  for  a  few  moments  he 
could  hardly  continue  his  conversation.  George  was 
standing  by  the  window,  but  he  was  watching  the 
door,  eager  and  impatient.  Madame  had  laid  aside 
her  knitting,  and  was  lying  back  in  her  chair  with 
closed  eyes.  Her  face  was  so  old,  her  look  so  far  off 


THE    HOUSE    OF    BOUVERIE.  43 

and  chill,  that  it  required  an  effort  to  associate  her 
with  the  passionate  sense  of  gain,  and  life,  and  love, 
explaining  the  three  men  who  were  talking  or  watch 
ing  beside  her. 

However,  madame's  eyes  opened  wide  enough  when 
she  saw  the  two  girls  tricked  out  so  bravely  with  the 
precious  lace.  But  she  found  no  time  to  express  her 
disapprobation,  for  Bernicia,  in  a  low  voice,  imme 
diately  began  to  explain  how  they  had  both  dressed 
entirely  to  honour  her  gifts.  "  It  was  but  right,"  she 
said,  "  that  madame  should  see  her  lace  worn  before 
others  had  that  pleasure.  And  was  it  not  becoming  ? 
Neither  Claire  nor  herself,"  she  asserted,  "  would  rob 
the  Exchequer  in  exchange  for  it,"  etc.,  etc.  So  the 
only  bitter  thing  madame  could  find  to  say  was, 
"  Bernicia  Cresswell,  you  are  so  bad  and  so  good,  I 
know  not  how  to  treat  you."  And  Bernicia  answered, 
"  Treat  me  as  if  I  were  a  very  angel,  grandmother." 

The  dinner  went  by  with  a  stately  order.  The  best 
viands,  the  oldest  wines,  the  most  silent  and  effective 
service  made  the  occasion  a  striking  contrast  to  the 
merry  glass-clinking,  health-drinking,  controversial, 
gossippy,  social  affairs  which  Lady  Pomfret  called 
"dinners."  William  Bouverie  and  his  friend  talked 
of  hemp  and  masts,  of  tallow  and  skins,  of  buying  at 
two  per  cent,  and  selling  at  four,  and  George  was 
continually  drawn  into  the  conversation  and  made  to 
observe  this  and  that,  because,  as  Bouverie  said,  "'Tis 
not  unlikely  you  may  go  to  Riga  before  the  year  be 
past."  Then  George  looked  at  Bernicia,  and  Bernicia 
pretended  to  have  heard  nothing  concerning  Riga. 
She  was  asking  Claire  questions  about  a  wine 
syllabub. 


44  BERNICIA. 

After  dinner  the  girls  retired  with  madame,  and 
Bernicia  remarked  with  an  irritating  little  yawn  :  "  You 
may  see  how  much  more  important  hides  and  tallow 
and  hemp  are  than  mission  lectures.  My  Uncle 
Bouverie  never  said  a  word  about  the  India  Mission. 
The  Riga  business  was  far  more  personal  and 
important." 

"  You  are  not  to  criticise  your  elders,  miss,"  said 
madame.  "Your  uncle  knows  the  proper  time  for 
every  subject.  Hemp  and  tallow  have  their  hour,  and 
higher  things  are  not  to  be  mixed  up  with  them." 

"  I  but  made  the  remark,  grandmother." 

"  Because  you  thought  it  witty.  But  whatever  wit 
says,  it  is  always  contriving  its  own  ruin.  Take  my 
word  for  that,  Bernicia." 

She  was  going  then  to  have  her  say  concerning  the 
extravagance  of  wearing  lace,  instead  of  keeping  it  in 
prepared  papers  and  locked  drawers,  when  George 
entered,  and  he  was  followed  immediately  by  William 
Bouverie.  The  stranger  had  gone,  and  the  day's  work 
was  over.  The  twilight  was  approaching  and  the 
house  was  at  perfect  peace.  Then  the  weary  mer 
chant  looked  at  the  young  people  with  a  happy  pride 
and  said  :  "  Sing  me  my  favourite  anthem."  And  when 
it  was  accomplished  he  had  the  atmosphere  which  he 
desired.  He  rose  and  began  to  walk  about  the  room, 
and  as  he  walked  to  tell  the  story  that  lay  like  a 
golden  song  below  all  the  fretful  stir  of  the  city,  and 
the  clamour  of  trade  and  travel. 

"  I  would  that  you  had  been  at  the  Old  Jewry  this 
day,  mother,"  he  said,  addressing  himself  to  madame. 
"  Dr.  Watts  was  present,  and  'tis  like  he  will  never  be 
here  again,  for  he  is  near  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 


THE    HOUSE   OF    BOUVERIE.  45 

"I  saw  him,"  answered  madame,  "when  he  was 
young,  very  modest  and  learned,  and  full  of  love  as 
was  St.  John." 

"  He  is  now  old  and  feeble,  and  so  weak  that  he 
leaned  upon  Dr.  Doddridge  and  the  Rev.  William 
Romaine  as  he  spoke.  But  oh,  how  rich  were  his 
words  !  I  was  told  that  I  should  see  a  man  with  one 
foot  in  the  grave,  and  I  found  a  man  with  one  foot  in 
heaven.  And  we  sang  together  two  of  his  hymns, 
knowing  that  we  should  sing  them  no  more  together 
in  this  world." 

"Children  !"  cried  madame,  with  a  singular  emo 
tion,  "  before  Dr.  Watts  gave  the  Church  these  hymns, 
we  might  be  Christians  in  our  sermons,  but  we  were 
mere  Jews  in  our  praises.  Ten  thousand  and  ten 
thousand  times  ten  thousand  holy  men  and  women 
never  sang  the  name  of  Jesus  until  they  went  to 
heaven.  Nothing  but  the  Psalms  of  David  had  been 
sung  in  our  meetinghouse  till  I  was  an  old  woman. 
Then  one  Sabbath  Dr.  Doddridge  gave  out  the  hymn: 

"  '  Give  me  the  wings  of  faith  to  rise/ 

and  we  could  not  sing  it  for  weeping.  After  that  we 
sang  hymns  constantly,  and  though  my  voice  was  old 
and  thin,  I  went  around  my  house  singing  hymns 
from  morning  to  night." 

"  Yet,  grandmother,"  said  Bernicia,  with  an  eager  air 
of  defence,  "  what  are  hymns  to  the  Psalms  ?  Has 
anything  ever  happened  for  which  you  cannot  sing  or 
pray  a  psalm  ?  Mother  used  to  say  their  music  was 
always  ready  made,  and  I  know  when  I  was  in  such 
great  loneliness  and  sorrow,  I  never  missed  comfort 
in  my  prayer-book."  And  this  girl  with  the  light  of 


46  BERNICIA. 

holy  feeling  upon  her  face  was  a  new  Bernicia  to  her 
relatives.  Her  uncle  stepped  closer  to  her  and 
stroked  her  hair  and  cheek,  and  madame  smiled,  and 
Claire  clasped  her  hand,  and  George  trembled  with 
love  and  joy  and  said  to  himself,  "  She  is  a  very  rose 
of  Eden." 

"  But  the  missionary,  son  William  ?  " 

"  He  came  in  his  own  time,  mother.  Before  it  we 
had  some  stirring  words  from  Dr.  Chandler,  remind 
ing  us  of  the  old  Nonconforming  confessors,  and 
comparing  our  riches  and  sloth  with  their  glorious 
sufferings  and  labours  and  martyrdoms.  And  now 
that  we  sat  at  ease,  no  man  making  us  afraid,  he  said 
it  was  our  manifest  duty  to  send  the  Gospel  from  the 
East  even  to  the  West.  And  at  these  words  Schwartz 
leaped  to  his  feet,  and  into  the  India  Mission  he 
plunged  like  a  man  with  but  one  thought.  And  his 
words  flew  like  arrows,  and  our  hearts  burned  like 
live  coals,  and  we  were  on  fire  with  him,  so  that  when 
he  cried  out :  '  Who  will  go  forth  with  the  everlasting 
Gospel  to  the  heathen  ? '  many  young  men  leaped  to 
their  feet,  and  you  could  see  in  their  faces  that  they 
were  ready  to  follow  Schwartz  from  the  pole  to  the 
equator." 

Madame  was  greatly  moved,  for  she  laid  down  her 
knitting  and  looked  steadily  at  her  son,  who  con 
tinued,  "  The  English  swords  have  cut  a  path  for  the 
English  Bible,  mother,  and  shall  we  not  send  it  ? " 
Then  he  took  the  Bible  in  his  hands,  and  called  to 
gether  his  household,  and  read  and  spoke  to  them 
until  the  long  twilight  vanished,  and  the  air  of  the 
room  was  like  a  highly  strung  harp,  sensitive  to  un 
seen  influences,  and  ready  to  snap  with  emotion. 


THE    HOUSE   OF    BOUVERIE.  47 

It  was  a  relief  when  a  servant  began  to  light  the 
wax  candles  in  the  silver  candlesticks,  and  the  rest  to 
move  slowly  away.  Their  exit  was  answered  by  a 
deep  sigh  from  every  breast,  and  madame  rose  and 
laid  upon  the  Bible  several  large  gold  pieces.  Then 
George  did  likewise,  and  Claire,  putting  her  hand  into 
her  guardian's  hand,  said  :  "Give  something  for  me, 
out  of  the  money  which  is  my  own." 

But  Bernicia  had  nothing  to  offer.  She  looked  at 
the  gold  with  shining  eyes,  and  then  stooped  and 
kissed  it.  "  I  have  only  my  love  and  pity  to  give," 
she  said,  "  for  as  you  know,  uncle,  I  am  poor  as  Job. 
So  pray,  judge  me  not  as  wanting  in  charity." 

"  My  dear  niece,  you  stand  accountable  only  to  a 
Judge  of  whom  you  will  have  no  reason  to  complain. 
But  it  is  high  time  you  were  at  rest,  the  more  so  as 
I  wish  to  speak  with  you  early  in  the  morning  on  a 
matter  of  importance." 

She  wondered  a  little  at  this  charge,  but  did  not  let 
the  wonder  hold  her  eyes  open.  Her  fear  was  that 
her  grandmother  wished  to  make  her  stay  longer  than 
one  day  each  week,  and  this  demand  she  was  fully 
resolved  to  oppose.  "  My  time  is  well  arranged,  and 
I  will  not  have  it  changed,"  she  said,  laughing  at  the 
rhyme  ;  "  a  day  once  in  the  week  is  not  disagreeable 
among  good  people,  for  I  like  to  feel  I  have  a  cap 
acity  for  more  lives  than  one, — for  religion  and  virtue, 
for  taste  also,  and  the  beau-monde, — but  one  day  is  suf 
ficient  for  the  proof.  In  the  morning  when  I  awake 
I  will  prepare  my  arguments." 

In  the  morning  she  did  not  require  them.  The  evil 
we  qualify  for  is  seldom  the  evil  we  have  to  face,  and 
Bernicia  was  quite  unprepared  for  her  uncle's  confi- 


48  BERNICIA. 

dence.  "  I  had  a  caller  last  night,"  he  said,  drawing 
Bernicia  into  a  chair  by  his  side.  "  I  had  a  caller  whose 
business  touched  you  and  Lady  Pomfret  very  closely. 
It  was  the  cousin  who  brought  you  to  London." 

"  Allan  Cresswell.  I  thought  he  had  gone  to  in 
quire  after  my  brother  Harry." 

"  He  has  returned.  He  says  Harry  will  not  make 
any  submissions  to  the  present  government  ;  further, 
that  the  foolish  boy  intends  to  enter  the  service  of 
France." 

"  I  will  swear  it  a  lie  !  And  I  can  tell  you  the  rest 
of  his  business,  uncle.  He  thinks  Cresswell  may  now 
be  given  to  a  man  as  loyal  as  he  has  taken  care  to 
prove  himself." 

"  He  spoke  of  paying  you  and  Lady  Pomfret  a  con 
sideration  in  money  for  your  right." 

"  I  will  accept  no  money  for  my  right.  If  King 
George  takes  it,  I  cannot  help  the  wrong,  but  I  will 
not  sell  my  birthright  to  Allan  Cresswell.  No  !  I 
would  not  sell  him  my  cast-off  shoe." 

"  He  made  the  offer  in  clear  terms.  He  proposes 
to  apply  for  the  succession,  and  to  pay  you  and  Lady 
Pomfret  a  daughter's  portion  from  the  estate." 

"  The  daughters'  portions  have  always  come  to  con 
sideration  after  the  heirs',  and  the  widows',  and  the 
younger  brothers'  rights  have  been  served.  Tarset 
has  told  me  all  about  the  girls  of  Cresswell.  Their 
rights  sound  well  enough,  but  they  are  small  indeed, 
or  Cousin  Allan  never  would  have  broached  them." 

"  He  is  poor,  and  he  wishes  me  to  lend  him  the 
money  to  prosecute  his  own  claim,  and  pay  your 
claims,  and  so  save  Cresswell  in  the  family  name." 

"  His  claim  !     When  did  Allan  Cresswell  possess  a 


THE   HOUSE   OF    BOUVERIE.  49 

claim  on  Cresswell  ?  Lend  him  the  money  if  you 
wish,  he  will  never  pay  you  it  again." 

At  this  moment  George  Abney  entered  the  room, 
and  Bernicia  stood  up  with  flashing  eyes  and  told  him 
how  Allan  Cresswell  proposed  to  rob  Lady  Pomfret 
and  herself  of  their  birthrights. 

George  looked  at  the  uncle  for  an  explanation, 
which  was  rapidly  given.  "  The  facts  are  these, 
George.  Allan  Cresswell  wants  to  be  lord  of  Cress- 
well.  He  says  he  is  the  only  loyal  representative  of 
the  name.  He  believes  the  king  will  give  him  the 
succession,  and  he  offers  me  a  mortgage  in  advance 
if  I  will  risk  the  gold  to  push  his  claim  at  court,  and 
pay  off  Lady  Pomfret  and  Bernicia." 

"And  there  is  not  gold  enough  in  London  town  to 
pay  off  Bernicia  Cresswell  ! "  cried  the  girl,  with  her 
head  up  and  her  face  in  a  flame.  "  If  he  could  buy 
the  king  and  the  whole  court,  he  would  still  have  to 
reckon  with  me.  He  shall  never  live  in  my  father's 
castle,  nor  sit  in  my  father's  chair,  nor  till  my  father's 
fields.  I  will  make  Harry  challenge  him  to  a  death 
combat — and  if  Harry  is  too  poor  a  man  to  do  so,  I 
will  take  the  matter  in  my  own  hand." 

"  Not  so !  "  said  George,  speaking  with  a  quiet 
decision  ;  "  if  it  comes  to  an  issue  of  steel,  I  am  at 
your  service.  Though  our  cousinship  be  distant,  you 
are  still  my  kindred  ;  and  I  can  use  a  sword  in  your 
cause  as  well  as  any  man." 

"  Now,  sir,  I  know  we  are  of  the  same  race  and 
blood  !  "  and  she  lifted  her  lovely  face  with  such  a 
shining  generous  gratitude,  that  George,  had  he  dared 
his  privilege,  might  at  that  moment  have  kissed  her 
without  offence. 


50  BERNICIA. 

Bernicia's  uncle  witnessed  this  pledge  of  sympathy 
with  some  impatience. 

"  Come,  come,  Bernicia  !  "  he  said,  "  take  some 
reason  with  your  rights.  My  wish  is  to  secure  justice 
for  the  children  of  my  sister  Frances.  This  before 
all  else.  But  you  must  see  as  plain  as  I  do,  that  this 
is  a  matter  for  cool,  deliberate  calculation  ;  and  that 
your  pretty  heroics  will  count  for  nothing  in  the  ver 
dict.  Let  us  be  considerate  of  our  available  resources. 
What,  for  instance,  can  Lord  Pomfret  do  ?" 

"  Whatever  my  sister  Fanny  tells  him  to  do." 

"  He  is  in  favour  with  the  king,  and  all  his  political 
hopes  hang  on  the  House  of  Hanover.  How,  then, 
will  he  dare  to  advocate  lenity  toward  so  notorious  a 
Jacobite  as  your  brother  Harry  ?" 

"  He  will  do  what  Fanny  tells  him  to  do,  though  it 
were  to  disobey  king,  lords,  and  commons." 

"  Tush  !     A  man  does  what  he  wants  to  do." 

"With  exceptions;  many  and  various." 

"  Have  you  any  powerful  friends  ?  " 

"  Lord  Rashleigh  is  of  the  queen's  circle.  And 
Fanny  is  a  favourite  with  Her  Majesty,  besides  which 
it  will  go  hard  with  me  if  I  win  not  friends  for  my 
own  cause,  and  enemies  for  Allan  Cresswell's.  Let 
him  explain  where  he  has  been,  and  on  what  business. 
He  also  is  a  Cresswell,  and  therefore  a  fit  object  for 
suspicion.  He  says  this  and  that  about  Harry  ;  I 
will  swear  that  he  has  just  as  likely  been  with  Charles 
Stuart  as  with  Harry  Cresswell.  Oh,  you  may  trust  me 
to  make  his  character  bleed  on  every  side  !  " 

"But  you  must  not  prejudice  the  truth,  Bernicia." 

"  In  faith,  uncle,  there  are  times  when  truth  may  be 
as  unseasonable  as  sense.  I  shall  only  need  to  bid 


THE    HOUSE   OF    BOUVERIE.  51 

Tarset  find  out  where  the  creature  has  been.  And 
wherever  he  has  been  straying,  I  will  warrant  sticks 
enough  can  be  gathered  to  make  a  fire  for  his  sacri 
fice." 

"  This  is  all  nothing  but  peradventure.  The  case 
between  him  and  me  will  come  to  pounds  sterling. 
Shall  I  make  terms  with  him  ?  " 

"Listen  not  to  him.  Put  him  off  with  that  con 
venient  word,  anon,  anon.  Do  but  keep  him  without 
money,  and  you  tie  his  hands,  and  make  his  promises 
babble,  and  so  bring  him  to  discredit.  I  have  seen  so 
much  since  I  came  to  London,  I  assure  you,  uncle. 
Allan  Cresswell!" 

She  ceased  speaking  at  the  name,  but  the  calm, 
scornful  dropping  of  the  eyelids,  expressed  a  sovereign 
contempt  beyond  the  reach  of  syllables. 

She  found  Fanny  in  a  proper  mood  to  echo  all  her 
indignation. 

"You  have  kept  me  waiting  a  whole  hour,  miss  !  " 
she  cried.  "  Have  you  been  to  meeting  ?  Good 
ness  !  Gracious  !  Where  did  you  get  that  lace  ?  '*' 

"  Grandmother  gave  it  to  me.  She  also  sent  you 
some." 

"  Pray  let  me  have  it." 

11  Mechlin,  pure  Mechlin,  Fanny." 

"  As  I  live,  Mechlin  !  Well,  Bernicia,  this  adorable 
lace  is  the  only  event  that  has  gone  to  please  me 
since  you  went  away.  I  will  swear  some  retrograde 
planet  is  hanging  over  us.  Everything  is  upside 
down." 

"  And  what  think  you  ?  Allan  Cresswell  says 
Harry  will  not  make  submission." 

"  'Tis  like  enough.     Harry  is  made  of  iron." 


52  BERNICIA. 

"  That  he  is  going  to  offer  his  sword  to  the  King  of 
France." 

"  That  is  a  lie  !  " 

"  And  Cousin  Allan  is  making  suit  for  the  succes 
sion  to  Cresswell." 

"  What  9" 

"  And  propositions  through  Uncle  Bouverie  to  buy 
our  rights." 

"  Lord,  what  a  villain  !  What  a  tenfold  villain  ! 
Why  does  not  Harry  come  back  ?  Men  are  such  very 
cowards.  Yes,  they  are.  I  would  like  to  tell  Harry 
what  I  think  of  him.  Now,  what  is  to  be  done  ?  I 
wish  Lord  John  were  here,  though,  to  be  sure,  he 
would  only  bite  his  lip  and  say  *  Egad,  Fanny  ! ' ' 

"Will  he  help  us?" 

"  Will— he — help— us  ?  Pray  what  else  will  he  do  ? 
Why  did  not  my  heart  bode  me  this  misfortune  ? 
Why  had  I  no  dream,  nor  any  sign  whatever  ?  I  am 
all  unprepared." 

"And  here  comes  my  Lady  Townley,  with  her  fan 
spread  and  her  ribbons  flying,  and  all  her  usual  airs 
and  lassitudes." 

"Then  help  me,  Bernicia,  for  I  must  keep  my 
tongue  from  temper.  I  must  even  flatter  her  from  her 
top-feather  to  her  shoe-buckle,  for  she  is  now  of  the 
queen's  bed-chamber  and  may  be  of  use  to  us." 


CHAPTER  III. 

THERE    ARE   SO   MANY    WAYS   OF    LOVING. 

THE  visit  of  Lady  Townley  was  more  full  of  interest 
than  she  intended.  "  I  have  but  a  moment  on  my 
way  to  the  Ranelagh  Garden,"  she  exclaimed, 
"where  there  is  a  masquerade  in  the  Venetian 
manner.  Are  you  not  going  ? " 

"  We  may  make  the  visit  in  the  evening,  Sabrina. 
I  hear  that  we  shall  have  fireworks." 

"  Yes,  and  the  loges  are  turned  into  little  shops  for 
the  sale  of  refreshments  and  lemonade.  There  will 
be  excellent  music,  and  as  for  the  dancing,  we  shall 
make  it  ourselves.  Am  I  not  dressed  for  a  revel  ?  " 

"Indeed,"  answered  Lady  Pomfret,  "your  dress  is 
vastly  becoming.  Is  there  anything  new  happening  ? 
I  hear  no  talk  except  of  politics  and  play.  Lord 
Pomfret,  as  you  know,  is  very  much  averse  to  gossip. 
And  pray,  my  dear,  how  do  you  now  manage  to 
pass  the  time,  for  I  hear  you  have  sent  your  daughter 
to  school  ? " 

"  There  was  good  occasion,  I  assure  you.  She  was 
learning  the  tricks  of  the  girls  of  this  wicked  age  ; 
pert  little  hoydens,  all  of  them,  flirting  their  fans  and 
ogling  the  men.  As  for  passing  the  time,  I  do  not 
find  it  difficult.  I  lie  in  bed  till  noon,  I  dress  and 
dine,  and  read  the  new  romances  ;  I  play  cards  or 
go  to  the  theatre  until  midnight.  Besides,  I  have  my 
page,  and  my  lapdog,  and  my  monkey." 

53 


54  BERNICIA. 

Ere  Lady  Pomfret  could  answer,  Jackanapes  en 
tered.  He  was  dressed  in  scarlet,  and  he  carried 
a  letter  on  a  lacquered  tray.  So  for  a  few  minutes 
Bernicia  talked  to  their  visitor  of  the  lotteries  and  of 
Mr.  Keaton's  dancing  classes,  for  Lady  Pomfret,  with 
a  polite  "by  your  permission,"  was  giving  her  atten 
tion  to  the  unexpected  missive. 

"It  is  only  a  summons  from  the  Countess  Selina," 
she  said,  with  a  scornful  smile,  as  she  laid  the  paper 
down.  "  She  thinks  I  may  find  it  to  my  eternal  wel 
fare  to  hear  Mr.  Whitefield  preach,  and  so  she  asks 
me  to  her  house  in  Park  Street  next  Sunday  night." 

w  If  you  would  be  in  the  fashion,  you  must  go, 
Fanny.  Nothing  is  so  much  the  rage  at  present  as 
Methodi'sm.  I  confess  that  I  feel  an  interest  in  Mr. 
Whitefield.  It  is  so  charming  to  hear  him  tell  such 
high  sinners  as  the  Duchess  of  Buckingham  how  vile 
they  are.  To  be  sure  the  duchess  was  very  angry, 
and  after  the  last  lecture  she  assured  the  Countess 
Huntington  that  Mr.  Whitefield's  doctrines  were 
highly  repulsive,  and  strongly  tinctured  with  imper 
tinence  toward  his  superiors." 

"  And  what  do  you  think,  Sabrina  ?  " 

"  I  think  with  the  duchess,  that  it  is  monstrous  to 
be  told  that  you  have  a  heart  as  sinful  as  the  common 
wretches  that  crawl  upon  the  earth." 

"  And  does  Mr.  Whitefield  say  things  that  are  so 
highly  insulting  and  offensive  ?" 

"  I  assure  you  that  I  have  heard  him.  Indeed,  his 
sentiments  are  utterly  at  variance  with  high  rank  and 
good  breeding.  No  person  of  fashion  can  relish 
them,  and  it  is  quite  true  that  the  Countess  of  Suffolk 
flew  into  a  passion  with  Lady  Huntington  after  one 


THERE    ARE    SO    MANY    WAYS    OF    LOVING.  55 

of  Mr.  Whitefield's  sermons,  which  she  averred  was 
preached  at  her.  There  was  no  quieting  the  storm. 
Lady  Betty  Germain  tried  to  explain,  and  Mrs.  Ancas- 
ter  tried  to  persuade,  but  the  Beauty  was  offended 
beyond  all  reasoning  with,  and  so  left  the  house  in  a 
fury.  It  was  very  entertaining,  you  may  believe  me." 

"  And  I  hear  that  my  friend  Lady  Chesterfield  also 
leans  to  the  Methodists." 

"  La,  my  dear  !  The  great  Chesterfield  is  one  of  the 
elect  ladies !  She  is  always  ready  to  '  show  out,' 
even  at  the  court.  'Tis  said  both  the  king  and  the 
queen  are  half-won  over  by  her." 

"  O-h-h  !  "  cried  Lady  Pomfret,  with  a  mirthful 
peal.  "  Oh-h-h  !  you  make  me  tipsy  with  laughing, 
Sabrina.  That  would  be  delectable  !  We  have  had 
a  Dutch  Calvinistic  king,  and  we  have  had  a  German 
Lutheran  king,  and  shall  we  indeed  have  a  Methodist 
one  ?  That  is  past  believing." 

"  If  you  like  not  my  words,  dust  them  away," 
answered  Lady  Townley  a  trifle  haughtily ;  "  but  I 
can  tell  you,  the  whole  palace  is  ringing  about  the 
Chesterfield  and  Mrs.  Greenfield,  who  are,  as  the 
elect  say,  '  much  owned  '  at  court.  They  give  them 
selves  a  parcel  of  airs  too,  and  their  self-complacency 
is  unbottomed." 

"  Indeed,  sister,"  said  Bernicia,  "  I  am  all  curiosity 
and  impatience.  Shall  we  not  go  to  Lady  Hunting- 
ton's  on  Sunday  night  ?  " 

"If  Lord  Pomfret  is  willing,  Bernicia." 

Then  Lady  Townley  gave  her  friend  back  her  own 
incredulous  exclamation  : 

"  You  make  me  tipsy  with  laughing,  Fanny.  If 
Lord  Pomfret  is  willing  !  All  the  world  knows  that 


56  BERNICIA. 

if  reasons  were  rained  down  from  heaven  upon  Lord 
Pomfret,  not  one  of  them  would  fit  him,  unless  you 
told  him  it  ought  to  do  so.  'Tis  faith,  Fanny." 

"  'Tis  fiddlesticks,  Sabrina." 

"Well,  my  dear  creature,  I  have  prattled  away  my 
time  to  a  degree,  so  thank  your  stars,  I  am  going. 
I  shall  see  at  least  fifty  of  our  acquaintances  at 
Ranelagh." 

"  I  cry  your  mercy,  then.  Will  you  rail  at  me 
through  the  whole  fifty?" 

"  Do  not  suspect  me,  Fanny.  I  shall  say  no  ill  of 
you  behind  your  back,  unless  you  turn  Methodist." 

The  sisters  looked  at  each  other  and  smiled.  The 
exception  seemed  so  improbable  they  did  not  even 
allude  to  it,  but  immediately  began  to  discuss  the  sub 
ject  of  Cresswell  and  of  Harry's  succession  to  it. 
For  suddenly  the  fine  old  castle  had  appealed  to  both 
hearts  in  its  aspect  of  home.  They  reminded  them 
selves  that  Harry  was  now  of  age,  and  really  Sir 
Harry  Cresswell. 

"And  he  ought  to  come  back  to  England  at  once," 
said  Fanny,  "and  we  ought  to  make  it  possible  for  him 
to  do  so.  The  time  is  very  favourable  for  our  purpose." 

Lady  Pomfret  was  quite  correct  in  this  estimate  of 
the  opportunity,  although  her  judgment  was  the  result 
of  intuition,  rather  than  of  reason.  For  the  dreadful 
cruelties  of  Cumberland  in  Scotland,  and  the  piteous 
deaths  of  Lords  Kilmarnock,  Balmerino,  and  Lovat 
in  London,  had  more  than  satisfied  the  nation's  con 
ception  of  political  justice.  The  king  himself  was 
conscious  that  the  slightest  further  strain  might  cause 
a  decided  reaction  of  feeling,  and  he  was  far  too 
shrewd  a  monarch  to  wish  to  try  conclusions  for  his 


THERE    ARE    SO    MANY    WAYS   OF    LOVING.  57 

crown  a  second  time.  It  was  therefore  not  unlikely 
that  a  signal  opportunity  for  showing  clemency  would 
be  favourably  considered. 

These  things  Lady  Pomfret  felt,  just  as  she  felt  the 
atmospheric  conditions  prefiguring  a  fine  or  a  wet 
day  ;  and  she  accepted  them  with  the  same  unreason 
ing  conviction  of  their  accuracy. 

"  Harry  must  be  induced  to  return  home  at  once," 
she  said  positively,  "  and  I  think  I  will  ask  Lord 
Rashleigh  to  go  to  France  and  talk  to  him.  Rashleigh 
is  dead  in  love  with  you,  Bernicia.  Throw  your  glove 
into  France  and  send  him  for  it." 

"It  is  not  my  pleasure  to  give  Lord  Rashleigh  so 
much  claim  on  my  gratitude.  If  he  redeemed  my  glove 
with  Harry,  he  might  claim  the  hand  that  threw  it." 

"Well,  Bernicia?" 

"  I  am  not  in  a  humour  to  give  so  much." 

"Then  Lord  John  must  find  a  messenger.  And 
that  is  hard  on  Lord  John,  for  if  his  interference  be 
discovered,  he  will  have  questions  put  that  I  shall 
hardly  find  him  wit  to  answer.  But  one  thing  is  cer 
tain,  we  must  go  to  Lady  Huntington's  on  Sunday 
night.  Much  of  what  we  have  heard  may  be  false, 
but  this  or  that,  there  will  remain  enough  of  likelihood 
in  the  Countess  of  .Chesterfield's  Methodism  to  bespeak 
our  attention.  For  I  can  tell  you,  the  countess  is  very 
omnipotent  with  the  Hanover  people.  Will  you  ride 
with  me  ? " 

"  Where  will  you  ride  ?  " 

"  First  to  Jermyn  Street  to  shop  a  little,  and  'tis  not 
impossible  that  I  may  find  myself  at  Ranelagh." 

"  I  will  be  excused,  Fanny.  My  brain  is  as  dizzy 
as  an  hour-tossed  shuttlecock.  I  will  send  for  Tar- 


58  BERNICIA. 

set,  and  let  her  make  a  baby  of  me.  If  we  could  get 
Tarset  to  go  for  Harry." 

"  If  we  could  get  a  fiddlestick  to  go  for  Harry  ! 
And  if  you  would  only  go  to  sleep  and  dream  a 
dream,  Bernicia,  that  indeed  might  help  us  to  sort 
affairs  a  little,  for  at  the  present  we  are  all  ups  and 
downs  in  the  matter." 

So  Bernicia  sent  for  Tarset  and  let  her  take  off  her 
finery,  and  comb  out  her  long  hair,  and  feed  her  with 
sops  in  wine.  And  gradually  the  girl  opened  her  heart 
to  her  old  friend,  and  found  that  Tarset  was  not  only 
much  interested,  but  also  capable  of  making  a  practi 
cal  suggestion. 

"  Send  your  cousin  George  Abney  for  Sir  Harry," 
she  said.  "  I  will  warrant  him  canny  enough  to  find 
business  to  cover  his  journey.  Up  and  tell  him  what 
you  want,  for  he  thinks  much  of  you.  What  hinders 
you  from  asking  him  ?  " 

"  Nothing,  Tarset,  but  the  time  and  place  to  see  him." 

"  Here  is  your  gold-edged  note  paper.  Write  him 
a  letter.  I  will  see  that  he  gets  it.  Tell  him  that  we 
are  going  to  morning  prayers  at  St.  Paul's  to-morrow, — 
God  knows  we  need  them, — and  your  cousin  can  meet 
us  as  we  come  out  of  church.  It  won't  put  him  about 
at  all.  Why  should  it  ? " 

"I  will  do  as  you  advise,  Tarset." 

So  Bernicia  wrote  in  the  small  pointed  hand  then 
considered  feminine : 

DEAR  COUSIN  : 

I  am  going  to  morning  prayers  at  St.  Paul's  Church  to  mor 
row,  and  I  have  a  favour  to  ask  of  you.  Shall  I  see  you  as  I  come 
out  of  the  church  ? 

Your  true  cousin, 

BERNICIA  CRESSWELL. 


THERE    ARE   SO    MANY    WAYS   OF    LOVING.  59 

When  Bernicia  was  dressed  for  the  evening,  Tarset 
took  charge  of  the  note.  She  felt  sure  that  George 
Abney  would  leave  his  home  after  the  dinner-hour 
for  one  of  the  clubs  or  coffee  houses,  and  she  was  not 
disappointed.  Lingering  near  the  entrance  to  Blooms- 
bury  Square,  she  saw  him  leisurely  coming  down  the 
steps  of  the  Bouverie  mansion,  and  she  walked  for 
ward  to  meet  him.  His  head  was  so  high,  and  his 
mind  so  preoccupied,  that  he  would  have  passed  the 
woman,  had  not  her  courtesy  and  her  'Honoured  Sir  ' 
arrested  his  attention.  Then  he  looked  at  Tarset 
gravely  and  inquiringly,  with  that  dim  kind  of  re 
membrance  his  transient  knowledge  of  her  accounted 
for. 

But  when  she  offered  him  Bernicia's  message,  and 
said  "  From  my  mistress,  Miss  Cresswell,  sir,"  his  whole 
air  and  attitude  changed.  He  touched  his  hat  to  the 
note,  as  Tarset  delivered  it,  and  then  taking  pains  to 
avoid  injuring  the  seal,  he  opened  the  letter  with  a 
lingering  tenderness  of  manner,  and  read  the  few  lines 
it  contained.  His  handsome  face  brightened  into 
more  living  beauty,  and  in  spite  of  his  powerful  will, 
the  paper  fluttered  in  his  hands  as  he  said,  with  a 
forced  indifference  : 

"  Return  with  me.  In  a  few  minutes  I  will  give  you 
an  answer  for  your  mistress." 

The  answer  was  on  Bernicia's  dressing-table  when 
she  came  home  from  the  theatre,  but  Tarset  being 
'weary  with  her  walk  was  fast  asleep.  Bernicia  touched 
her  impatiently  and  said  : 

"  'Tis  easy  seen  you  take  but  little  thought  for  our 
trouble,  Tarset." 

"  Missie,  I  am  old    and   you   are   young.     I    have 


60  BERNICIA. 

walked,  and  you  have  been  carried  in  your  chair.  I 
have  been  alone,  and  you " 

"  I  wish  I  had  been  alone.  On  the  contrary,  I  have 
had  the  most  odious  company,  and  yet  have  been  com 
pelled  to  smile  and  say  I  found  it  all  vastly  enter 
taining.  Oh,  the  essenced  fops  !  Oh,  the  simpering 
young  gallants  !  Oh,  the  fools  whose  brains  no 
hellebore  can  cure !  'Tis  a  miracle  how  I  have 
endured  them.  And  they  were  not  even  sensible  of 
my  ridicule.  'Tis  a  vile  world  !  Tis  a  very  vile 
world  !  Thank  the  moon  we  are  mostly  all  so 
crazy  that  we  do  not  know  we  have  lost  our 
senses." 

"  Well,  miss,  if  I  wanted  a  bad  opinion  of  folk  I 
would  set  a  young  girl  to  give  it.  Forty  years  ago  I 
too  used  to  say,  Lord,  this  person  is  so  bad  ;  and  that 
one  is  so  bad  ;  and  the  other  one  is  worse  !  But  I 
have  found  out  that  we  are  all  pretty  much  of  a  much 
ness  ;  and  so  I " 

"Don't  cut  me  short  in  that  way,  Tarset.  Did  you 
take  my  letter  ?  And  pray  if  you  did,  how  was  it 
received  ?  " 

"  The  answer  is  on  your  table,  miss." 

Then  Bernicia  walked  to  the  dressing-table,  laid 
down  her  fan,  and  lifted  George's  letter.  With  a 
haste  that  was  a  remarkable  contrast  to  her  cousin's 
charming  carefulness,  she  tore  .open  the  sealed  paper, 
and  holding  it  off  with  both  hands,  she  read  aloud 
these  words  : 

"  MY  BELOVED  COUSIN  : 

"  Listen  to  that,  Tarset.  I  called  him  '  dear,'  and  he 
answers  '  dear  '  with  '  My  beloved.' 


THERE    ARE    SO    MANY    WAYS   OF    LOVING.  6l 

"  I  am  transported  with  the  honour  of  your  note,  nor  can  I  by 
any  words  convince  you  of  my  sincere  impatience  to  answer  your 
request.     But  without  fail  I  shall  be  at  your  service  to-morrow. 
"Your  devoted  cousin, 

"  GEORGE  ABNEY." 

She  read  the  signature  in  a  mocking,  grandiloquent 
manner,  with  her  head  thrown  backward,  and  her  foot 
forward.  '  Devoted  cousin  ! '  See  how  he  improves 
upon  my  adjective,  Tarset.  Oh,  yes  !  give  a  lover  an 
inch,  and  he  takes  a  couple  of  yards  on  the  instant. 
My  beloved  cousin  indeed  !  Grant  me  patience  to 
digest  such  words." 

"  Is  he  not  your  lover,  miss  ?  " 

"  Lord  !  what  is  a  lover,  Tarset  ?  Tell  me.  As  I 
heard  last  week  in  the  play,  one  makes  them  as  fast  as 
one  pleases,  and  they  live  as  long  as  one  pleases,  and 
they  die  as  soon  as  one  pleases,  and  then,  if  one 
pleases,  one  makes  more.  Unbuckle  my  shoes,  Tarset. 
I  am  in  a  pettish  kind  of  a  temper,  and  I  wish  to  go  to 
sleep.  As  for  lovers,  I  do  not  care  for  any  mother's 
son  of  them — not  a  rush  candle." 

Then  she  glanced  at  her  prayer-book,  which  Tarset 
had  laid  open  at  the  proper  collect,  but  she  did  not 
say  it.  She  was  very  tired  and  her  thoughts  were  not 
heavenward,  and  she  resolved  to  pay  up  all  spiritual 
arrears  in  the  morning  at  St.  Paul's  Cathedral — 
"  which  is  the  proper  place,"  she  thought. 

It  was  a  royal  day  even  in  the  city  streets.  Spring 
was  in  the  air  and  in  the  people's  hearts,  and  the  ride 
to  St.  Paul's  through  the  pleasant  tumult  was  a  cheer 
ful  thing.  Bernicia  was  laughing  and  chatting  gaily 
as  they  reached  the  church.  Then  Tarset's  sudden 
quiet  affected  her,  and  the  chill  of  the  great  vestibule, 


62  BERNICIA. 

and  the  solemn  gloom  and  stillness  of  the  temple,  and 
the  low  strains  of  the  organ,  all  went  to  her  impressi 
ble  heart. 

Friday's  morning  service  was  a  favourite  one,  and 
there  were  many  present  ;  some,  alas  !  only  to  flirt  and 
ogle  or  to  see  their  friends,  and  gossip  afterward  in 
the  pleasant  yard.  But  Tarset,  at  least,  was  in  dead 
earnest.  She  led  Bernicia  to  a  chair,  and  then  knelt 
down  beside  her  with  an  unmistakable  and  joyful 
adoration.  And  Bernicia,  who  was  the  most  sensitive 
and  radiating  of  mortals,  was  quickly  responsive  to  her 
surroundings  ;  the  more  so,  as  the  vast  spaces  were 
instantly  filled  with  the  murmur  of  many  voices  utter 
ing  in  unison  the  noblest  of  all  confessions  and 
implorations  : 

' '  We  have  erred  and  strayed  like  lost  sheep, 
We  have  followed  too  much  the  devices  and  desires  of  our  own 

hearts, 

We  have  offended  against  Thy  holy  laws, 
We  have  left  undone   those  things  which  we  ought  to  have 

done, 
And  we  have  done  those  things  which  we  ought  not  to  have 

done, 

And  there  is  no  health  in  us. 

But  Thou,  O  Lord,  have  mercy  upon  us  miserable  offenders  ; 
Spare  Thou  those,  O  God,  who  confess  their  faults  ; 
Restore  Thou  those  who  are  penitent, 
According  to  Thy  promises  declared  unto  mankind,  in  Christ 

Jesus  our  Lord." 

Here  the  easily  wearied  spiritual  effort  flagged,  and 
she  was  only  sensible  that  her  thoughts  wandered,  and 
were  recalled,  and  wandered  again,  until  in  that  human 
movement  of  rising  numbers  she  was  lifted  to  her  feet 
and  her  soul  carried  heavenward  on  the  glorious  wings 


THERE    ARE    SO    MANY    WAYS   OF    LOVING.  63 

of  the  Venite  exultemus  Domino.  And  as  the  joyful 
melody  rose  higher  and  higher  into  the  stupendous 
dome,  she  said  rapturously  to  herself  :  "  It  is  like  the 
singing  of  angels  !  I  wish  that  I  could  always  be  reli 
gious,  for  it  is  a  great  happiness." 

But  the  spiritual  emotions,  so  deep  and  real  in  Tar- 
set's  case,  were  but  as  the  ripple  of  wind  on  restless 
water  in  Bernicia's  ;  and  she  was  ready  to  be  weary 
when  the  morning  service  was  over.  So  that  she  felt 
it  a  relief  to  see  the  stately  figure  of  George  Abney 
standing  motionless  at  the  entrance  of  the  cathedral, 
for  it  brought  her  in  contact  again  with  the  material 
outside  world  which  she  loved.  As  her  eyes  fell  upon 
him,  he  turned  with  an  eager  look  toward  her,  for  he 
was  evidently  in  a  mood  of  great,  though  well  con 
trolled,  excitement,  and  he  spoke  with  some  decision. 

"  I  see,  cousin,  that  you  have  a  coach.  Let  us  drive 
to  St.  James's  Park  :  there  we  can  walk  under  the  trees, 
and  you  can  command  my  service  as  you  desire." 

And  Bernicia  was  quite  in  the  humour  for  anything 
unusual.  She  permitted  George  to  carry  out  his 
desire,  and  only  chatted  to  him  as  they  drove  through 
the  busy  thoroughfare  of  the  sights  they  met  on  the 
way. 

People  of  all  kinds  and  conditions  pressed  close,  and 
all  the  undistinguishable  noise  born  of  human  struggle 
was  in  their  ears,  but  Bernicia  was  in  that  kind  of  pas 
sive  elation  which  regards  nothing  as  very  definite  ; 
while  George  was  certainly  unconscious  of  any  per 
sonality,  or  of  any  reality,  but  the  sweet  woman  sitting 
at  his  side.  The  carriage,  with  its  four  black  Barbary 
horses,  and  its  outriders,  went  creeping  or  struggling 
or  racing  down  the  Strand  and  the  Mall,  but  no  sense 


64  BERNICIA. 

of  either  motion  or  obstruction  marred  George's  satis 
faction.  He  felt  himself  carried  along  as  in  a  delicious 
dream.  He  was  in  Paradise,  and  his  Eve  was  a 
woman  whose  like  had  never  been  on  this  earth 
before. 

In  the  Park  they  left  the  vehicle  and  together  went 
slowly  through  the  deep  green  grass,  and  without  pre 
meditation  or  inquiry  Bernicia  began  to  explain  the 
position  of  her  brother,  and  their  hopes  and  fears  con 
cerning  him  and  the  Cresswell  estate.  She  did  this 
fluently  and  with  much  feeling  ;  her  beautiful  lips 
pouted  and  quivered,  her  breast  panted,  and  her  eyes 
filled  with  tears  as  she  told  the  story  of  Allan  Cress- 
well's  treachery,  and  spoke  of  the  brother  who  had 
been  her  companion,  and  who  was  now  the  last  of  a 
famous  family. 

And  for  George  Abney  it  was  such  a  wonderful  joy 
to  be  thus  walking  with  her,  to  hear  her  words, — all  of 
them  for  him  alone, — to  see  her  lovely  face  paling  and 
reddening,  her  rosy  lips  parting  and  closing  with  emo 
tion,  her  eyes  lifted  to  his  eyes,  that  he  did  not  wish 
to  speak  ;  neither  did  he  wish  Bernicia  to  cease  speak 
ing.  At  last  she  seemed  conscious  of  this  condition, 
she  was  silent  a  moment,  and  then  said  : 

"  I  have  told  you  enough,  cousin,  if  you  compre 
hend,  and  if  you  do  not  comprehend,  then  I  have  told 
you  too  much." 

"  What  you  wish  is  plain  to  me.  I  am  to  go  to 
France.  I  am  to  explain  to  your  brother  Harry  all 
that  you  have  explained  to  me.  In  short,  cousin,  you 
rely  on  me  to  induce  Harry  to  return  to  his  country, 
and  make  submission  for  his  life  and  estate  to  the 
king.  I  am  most  willingly  your  servant  in  this  matter. 


THERE    ARE    SO    MANY    WAYS   OF    LOVING.  65 

The  French  packet  leaves  on  Tuesday  next.  I  will 
sail  in  her." 

"My  dear  cousin  !"  and  with  the  words  Bernicia 
gave  him  her  hand. 

He  retained  it  in  a  firm  clasp,  answering  :  "  Will 
you  not  say,  my  dear  George  ?  " 

"  La,  cousin  !  the  word  is  insignificant.  Both  mean 
the  same  person." 

"  Then  oblige  me.  To  hear  my  name  from  your 
lips  !  Oh,  Bernicia,  I  ask  no  greater  joy." 

"  Faith  !  I  know  better.  When  I  have  made  you  so 
happy  you  will  want  something  more  ;  you  will  indeed* 
dear  George." 

He  stood  still  to  listen,  apprehending  by  some  fine 
soul  instinct  the  delicious  syllable,  and  Bernicia  said 
the  word  most  charmingly,  dropping  her  voice  and 
lifting  her  eyes,  and  suffering  her  hand  to  lie  within 
her  cousin's  hand.  But  it  was  but  a  momentary  com 
plaisance.  Her  next  movement  was  to  withdraw  it, 
and  as  she  took  a  step  onward  to  say  : 

"  I  am  disappointed.  You  have  made  me  pay  for 
your  kindness.  'Tis  a  very  merchant-like  bargain." 

"  There  is  no  bargaining  in  true  love,  Bernicia,  and 
you  know  well  that  I  have  loved  you  since  the  moment 
I  first  saw  you." 

"  La,  sir  !  I  am  no  diviner.  And  the  thing  was 
never  prophesied  to  me.  Nor  have  you  until  this 
moment  said  the  word  '  love '  in  my  hearing." 

"  Because  the  word  *  love  '  is  too  small.  I  want  a 
new  word  coined  to  express  my  adoration.  Find  me 
one  that  will  mean  death  to  all  other  pleasures,  that 
will  mean  delight  to  the  pitch  of  paining.  Oh,  Ber 
nicia  !  you  may  freely  take  whatever  service  I  can 


66  BERNICIA. 

render  you,  for  I  have  already  given  you  my  whole 
heart." 

"  Alas,  George !  I  have  more  than  I  can  do  to  take 
care  of  my  own  heart.  What  nonsense  then  to  charge 
myself  with  yours." 

"  Exchange  with  me  ?  " 

"  For  value  received !  Can  you  not  get  beyond 
such  a  business  standard,  cousin  ?" 

"  You  are  ever  on  the  watch  to  trip  me  in  my  words. 
Bernicia,  be  more  pitiful.  Have  you  never  been  in 
love  !  " 

"  Never  !  I  thank  my  stars  for  not  ruling  me  in  such 
a  house  of  folly.  What  is  love  like  ?  How  does  it 
feel  ?  When  is  one  liable  to  an  attack  ?  At  the  full  o' 
the  moon  ?  or  at  the  change  ?  " 

"  To  be  in  love,  Bernicia,  is  to  be  possessed.  My 
love  for  you  is  my  life.  I  draw  not  a  breath  without 
it.  It  beats  with  my  heart.  It  thinks  with  my  brain. 
It  works  with  my  hands.  If  you  smile,  I  am  in  the 
sunshine.  If  you  are  indifferent,  every  source  of  my 
being  is  in  a  frost.  Bernicia  !  Bernicia  !  I  love  you 
so,  I  love  you  so  entirely,  that  I  know  not  if  I  live  or 
die  but  as  your  favour  leads  me." 

"  Truly,  George,  your  talents  lie  in  making  what 
you  speak  to  be  felt." 

"  Can  I  hope  so  much  ?  Will  you  indeed  give  me 
a  little  love  ?  Just  a  little  to  hope  upon  ?  " 

"  No,  indeed,  sir  !  'Twould  be  like  giving  a  mort 
gage  on  my  heart.  But  if  it  please  all  gracious  powers, 
1  will  keep  myself  free  from  such  observations." 

However,  she  made  this  denial  with  a  smiling  grace 
that  no  young  man  burning  toward  the  meridian  of 
his  affection  could  accept.  Perhaps,  indeed,  she  only 


THERE    ARE   SO   MANY    WAYS   OF    LOVING.  67 

made  it  for  the  pleasure  of  having  George  woo  her 
again,  with  still  more  impetuosity  and  fervour.  For 
though  her  proud  little  heart  melted  like  wax  in  the 
heat  of  her  lover's  pleading,  she  did  not  seem  to  dis 
like  the  ardours  she  was  tempting  and  daring  with 
such  bewitching  advances  and  retreats. 

As  they  turned  toward  the  carriage  they  met  Tarset 
coming  toward  them.  She  looked  displeased,  and 
said  crossly :  "  You  take  advantage,  Miss  Bernicia. 
You  said  '  a  few  yards  and  a  few  minutes  on  the 
grass.'  Miss  Forester  and  a  couple  of  beaux  have 
just  passed,  and  they  looked  your  way  and  laughed, 
and  no  doubt  said  this  and  that  and  more  to  it.  You 
shouldn't  do  so." 

"I  like  to  do  so,  Tarset." 

"  And  I  think,  Mr.  Abney,  you  had  better  let  Miss 
Cresswell  say  '  Good-morning '  now.  She  will  be 
set-to  for  an  answer  when  Lady  Pomfret  asks  her 
a  few  questions." 

Bernicia  laughed,  with  a  pretty  toss  of  her  head,  as 
she  answered  :  "  Do  not  worry,  Tarset.  I  can  find 
plenty  of  stepping-stones  in  every  stream  that  crosses 
my  path.  Now,  good-morning,  sir,"  she  said,  with 
a  courtesy,  as  she  turned  again  to  George. 

"But,  Bernicia,  we  have  not  yet  arranged  for  the 
future.  When  shall  I  see  you  ?  Where  ?  We  cannot 
part  until  we "  % 

"  Have  a  little  forbearance,  sir.  I  will  send  you 
a  word." 

"  But  before  Tuesday — I  mean  before  Sunday." 

"  It  is  now  Friday." 

"  To-morrow,  Bernicia.     Say  to-morrow." 

"  Let  me  see,"  and  Bernicia  began  to  count  upon 


68  BERNICIA. 

her  fingers  her  many  engagements,  smiling  all  the 
time  with  a  ravishing  coquetry,  and  keeping  George's 
eyes  fixed  on  her  by  the  witchery  of  her  own.  "  Let 
me  see  :  there  is  Lady  Russell's  dance  to-night,  and 
the  Verskovi's  auction  in  the  morning,  and  in  the 
evening  Fanny  has  a  dinner  and  a  card  party." 

"Miss  Bernicia,"  cried  Tarset,  "you  must  say 
good-by  at  once  and  be  done  with  it." 

Thus  the  lovers  gained  nothing  by  a  delay  beyond 
the  ripe  moment  of  parting  ;  for  in  love,  as  in  all 
other  good  things,  what  is  over  loses  its  glory  or  its 
savour.  They  said  "  Farewell  "  in  a  hurry,  with  a 
feeling  of  something  incomplete,  and  with  common 
places  instead  of  those  few  perfect  monosyllables 
which  are  so  sweetly  illustrated  by  the  hands  and  the 
eyes. 

However,  Bernicia  kept  George  in  sight  for  some 
time,  and  his  well-sustained  gravity  and  lack  of  all 
haste,  amid  the  hurrying,  clamorous  throng,  gave  him 
great  distinction.  She  thought  he  would  be  sure  to 
turn  frequently  and  look  back  toward  her,  but  after 
his  adieu  he  never  cast. one  glance  behind.  This  was 
an  unusual  attitude  for  a  lover,  and  she  was  much 
impressed  by  it. 

It  was  a  silent  and  irresponsive  ride  home,  for 
Bernicia  was  thinking  of  her  sister  Fanny,  and  with 
some  trepidation.  Up  to  this  hour  she  had  pleased 
herself  with  the  idea  of  Fanny's  astonishment  and 
satisfaction.  But  when  she  thought  of  the  confession 
of  her  success  still  to  be  made,  doubts  and  fears  invaded 
her  breast.  "  Fanny  will  say  I  ought  to  have  consulted 
her  before  taking  the  advice  of  a  servant  who  knows 
nothing  of  London  life.  And  perhaps  I  ought,"  was  her 


THERE    ARE    SO    MANY    WAYS    OF    LOVING.  69 

private  comment  on  this  supposition.  "  She  will  say, 
too,  that  I  have  been  selfish  in  not  giving  her  an  oppor 
tunity  to  help  in  any  plan  for  Harry's  relief.  And 
I  should  not  wonder  if  I  have.  I  did  not  intend  to 
be  so,  but  then  thoughtless  selfishness  is  a  pretty  bad 
variety  of  that  kind  of  meanness.  And  when  all  else  is 
said,  she  will  assure  me  I  have  behaved  unfashionably, 
or  perhaps  even  unwomanly,  and  give  me  in  anticipa 
tion  all  the  ill-natured  things  likely  to  be  said.  It  is 
not  my  fault,  anyhow.  George  ought  to  have  con 
sidered  these  things,  or  Tarset,  or  somebody.  Perhaps 
I  ought  to  have  considered  them  myself,  and  I  am 
sure  if  I  had  thought  one  minute  and  a  half  on  the 
subject,  the  second  minute  would  have  been  fatal  to 
the  whole  plan.  But  the  thing  is  done,  and  if  Fanny 
says  too  much,  I  am  not  without  a  tongue.  Faith  ! 
I  can  take  up  the  racket  and  return  the  ball  to  her." 

She  had  come  to  this  conclusion  as  the  carriage 
entered  the  wide  gates  of  the  Pomfret  mansion,  and 
she  went  into  her  sister's  presence  with  a  little  affecta 
tion  of  childish  delight. 

"  Oh,  Fanny  !  "  she  cried,  "  I  have  had  the  sweetest 
time  in  church  and  the  loveliest  drive  in  the  Park  you 
can  imagine." 

"  I  should  hope  so,  miss,  for  you  have  kept  me 
waiting  upon  you.  I  am  more  angry  with  you  than 
I  can  say,  for  you  knew  well  I  had  an  engagement 
with  Lady  Waltham." 

"  I  am  sorry  enough,  sister." 

"  And  pray  who  was  with  you  in  the  Park  ?  For 
I  will  wager  ten  crowns  you  had  company  in  the  love 
liest  of  drives.  Oh,  miss  !  I  am  not  to  be  fooled, 
I  assure  you.  Was  it  Lord  Rashleigh  ? " 


68  BERNICIA. 

her  fingers  her  many  engagements,  smiling  all  the 
time  with  a  ravishing  coquetry,  and  keeping  George's 
eyes  fixed  on  her  by  the  witchery  of  her  own.  "  Let 
me  see  :  there  is  Lady  Russell's  dance  to-night,  and 
the  Verskovi's  auction  in  the  morning,  and  in  the 
evening  Fanny  has  a  dinner  and  a  card  party." 

"Miss  Bernicia,"  cried  Tarset,  "you  must  say 
good-by  at  once  and  be  done  with  it." 

Thus  the  lovers  gained  nothing  by  a  delay  beyond 
the  ripe  moment  of  parting  ;  for  in  love,  as  in  all 
other  good  things,  what  is  over  loses  its  glory  or  its 
savour.  They  said  "  Farewell  "  in  a  hurry,  with  a 
feeling  of  something  incomplete,  and  with  common 
places  instead  of  those  few  perfect  monosyllables 
which  are  so  sweetly  illustrated  by  the  hands  and  the 
eyes. 

However,  Bernicia  kept  George  in  sight  for  some 
time,  and  his  well-sustained  gravity  and  lack  of  all 
haste,  amid  the  hurrying,  clamorous  throng,  gave  him 
great  distinction.  She  thought  he  would  be  sure  to 
turn  frequently  and  look  back  toward  her,  but  after 
his  adieu  he  never  cast. one  glance  behind.  This  was 
an  unusual  attitude  for  a  lover,  and  she  was  much 
impressed  by  it. 

It  was  a  silent  and  irresponsive  ride  home,  for 
Bernicia  was  thinking  of  her  sister  Fanny,  and  with 
some  trepidation.  Up  to  this  hour  she  had  pleased 
herself  with  the  idea  of  Fanny's  astonishment  and 
satisfaction.  But  when  she  thought  of  the  confession 
of  her  success  still  to  be  made,  doubts  and  fears  invaded 
her  breast.  "  Fanny  will  say  I  ought  to  have  consulted 
her  before  taking  the  advice  of  a  servant  who  knows 
nothing  of  London  life.  And  perhaps  I  ought,"  was  her 


THERE    ARE    SO    MANY    WAYS    OF    LOVING.  69 

private  comment  on  this  supposition.  "  She  will  say, 
too,  that  I  have  been  selfish  in  not  giving  her  an  oppor 
tunity  to  help  in  any  plan  for  Harry's  relief.  And 
I  should  not  wonder  if  I  have.  I  did  not  intend  to 
be  so,  but  then  thoughtless  selfishness  is  a  pretty  bad 
variety  of  that  kind  of  meanness.  And  when  all  else  is 
said,  she  will  assure  me  I  have  behaved  unfashionably, 
or  perhaps  even  unwomanly,  and  give  me  in  anticipa 
tion  all  the  ill-natured  things  likely  to  be  said.  It  is 
not  my  fault,  anyhow.  George  ought  to  have  con 
sidered  these  things,  or  Tarset,  or  somebody.  Perhaps 
I  ought  to  have  considered  them  myself,  and  I  am 
sure  if  I  had  thought  one  minute  and  a  half  on  the 
subject,  the  second  minute  would  have  been  fatal  to 
the  whole  plan.  But  the  thing  is  done,  and  if  Fanny 
says  too  much,  I  am  not  without  a  tongue.  Faith  ! 
I  can  take  up  the  racket  and  return  the  ball  to  her." 

She  had  come  to  this  conclusion  as  the  carriage 
entered  the  wide  gates  of  the  Pomfret  mansion,  and 
she  went  into  her  sister's  presence  with  a  little  affecta 
tion  of  childish  delight. 

"  Oh,  Fanny  !  "  she  cried,  "  I  have  had  the  sweetest 
time  in  church  and  the  loveliest  drive  in  the  Park  you 
can  imagine." 

"  I  should  hope  so,  miss,  for  you  have  kept  me 
waiting  upon  you.  I  am  more  angry  with  you  than 
I  can  say,  for  you  knew  well  I  had  an  engagement 
with  Lady  Waltham." 

"  I  am  sorry  enough,  sister." 

"And  pray  who  was  with  you  in  the  Park?  For 
I  will  wager  ten  crowns  you  had  company  in  the  love 
liest  of  drives.  Oh,  miss  !  I  am  not  to  be  fooled, 
I  assure  you.  Was  it  Lord  Rashleigh  ? " 


70  BERNICIA. 

"  Ask  me  to-morrow,  Fanny.  You  are  not  in 
a  humour  to  listen  to  anything  patiently  at  this  hour." 

"  What  a  saucy  chit  you  are  grown  !  Tell  me 
plainly  who  was  in  your  company." 

"  Tarset." 

"  Tarset!" 

"  And  Cousin  George  Abney." 

"  Cousin  George  Abney  !  Pray  why  so  much  cousin- 
ship  ?  I  do  not  think  he  has  a  drop  of  claim  to  it." 

"  Indeed,  you  will  have  to  put  up  with  the  *  cousin- 
ship,'  Fanny.  His  father  married  a  cousin  of  our 
grandmother.  It  is  a  clear  case.  And  I  can  assure 
you  Uncle  William  is  uncle  to  both  George  and 
Claire — more  truly  uncle  than  he  is  to  either  you 
or  me." 

"  Where  did  you  meet  the  man  ?  You  told  me  you 
were  going  to  St.  Paul's  for  the  morning  service." 

"  And  I  say  truly  that  I  met  Cousin  George  as  I 
came  out  of  St.  Paul's.  He  said  to  me  :  *  You  have 
a  coach,  I  see.  Let  us  take  a  drive  in  St.  James's 
Park.'  " 

"  A  vulgar  tradesman  in  a  cloth  suit  !  And  in  my 
coach  !  " 

"  Oh,  the  nobility  have  their  vulgarity,  too,  I  assure 
you  !  Gold  lace  and  velvet  are  nothing.  I  have  seen 
asses  in  embroidered  trappings.  And  as  for  your 
coach,  I  cry  your  pardon  for  using  it  at  all.  I  am  no 
better  than  my  ancestors,  and  my  mother  was  a 
Bouverie,  the  daughter  of  a  vulgar  tradesman." 

"  Such  ideas  !     I  wonder  how  you  came  by  them." 

"  Some  I  was  born  with  ;  I  have  picked  up  others 
here  and  there  and  everywhere,  as  I  went  along." 

"  I  would  like  to  know  what  George  Abney  was 


THERE    ARE    SO    MANY    WAYS   OF    LOVING.  71 

doing  at  St.  Paul's.  Fetter  Lane  Meetinghouse 
would  have  been  more  in  his  way." 

"  Ask  him  what  he  was  doing.  I'll  warrant  he  will 
tell  you." 

"  Bernicia,  you  have  treated  me  very  badly  this 
morning." 

"  As  I  said  before,  I  am  sorry  enough.  Lay  it  to 
my  years.  A  fine  spring  morning,  a  fine  coach  and 
four  horses,  a  handsome  young  man,  and  your  woman 
at  hand  to  play  propriety  for  you,  in  what  country 
does  the  girl  live,  Fanny,  who  could  have  said  '  No  '  ?  " 

"  I  will  talk  to  you  later.  You  have  cut  short  my 
time  at  the  present.  Good-morning  !  " 

"  It  was  a  very  good  morning,  Fanny,  until  you 
spoiled  it." 

But  when  Fanny  left  the  room  Bernicia  laughed 
softly.  "  I  had  the  last  word,"  she  thought,  "  and 
now  I  will  go  to  myself  and  consider  things.  'Tis  a 
mercy  I  have  the  opportunity  to  do  so." 

And  the  end  of  this  consideration  was  not  favourable 
to  confidence. 

"  I  have  thought  things  out,  Tarset,"  she  said,  "  and 
I  will  not  tell  my  sister  a  word  about  George  and 
Harry.  She  will  have  so  much  to  say  and  to  fear  that 
I  shall  be  worried  to  death.  We  can  keep  our  own 
secret,  I  suppose." 

"But  if  it  comes  to  harvest,  you  must  confess, 
miss." 

"  Faith,  I  have  a  plan  to  throw  the  confession  upon 
George  Abney.  He  is  going  to  do  the  real  business, 
and  it  is  only  fair  he  should  himself  bring  the  news 
of  his  meddling.  He  will  not  mind  it  a  bit." 

"  I  should  think  he  would." 


72  BERNICIA. 

"  No.  He  is  my  very  humble  servant.  I  shall 
write  and  bid  him  come  here  to-morrow  at  three 
o'clock.  He  must  tell  Fanny  he  is  going  into  France, 
and  that  he  will  be  delighted  to  carry  any  message  or 
favour  she  may  wish  to  send  to  Harry.  I  myself  want 
to  see  George  Abney  again,  and  I  can  think  of  no 
better  plan." 

So  the  letter  was  written  and  delivered,  and  the  next 
day  at  three  o'clock  George  Abney  was  admitted  to 
Lady  Pomfret's  drawing-room.  Not  without  purpose 
had  Bernicia  selected  this  hour.  She  knew  her  sister 
would  be  busy  with  her  toilet.  It  was  past  time  for 
the  intrusion  of  morning  callers,  and  it  was  too  early 
for  those  who  were  engaged  for  the  evening.  She 
felt  sure,  therefore,  that  she  would  have  her  lover's 
company  without  interruption. 

George  had  not  obeyed  her  wishes,  however,  with 
out  some  scruples.  The  nature  of  the  man  was  to 
hate  deception  of  any  kind,  and  therefore  he  urged 
upon  Bernicia  the  propriety  of  taking  Lady  Pom  fret 
into  their  consultation.  "  There  is  no  cause  why  I 
should  make  your  brother  an  aside  interest  when  he 
is  really  the  prime  motive  of  my  journey,  Bernicia," 
he  said. 

"Indeed,  sir,  there  is,"  she  answered.  "Fanny 
would  not  pardon  me  if  she  knew  that  I  wrote  you  a 
letter  ;  that  I  sent  you  on  a  journey  ;  that,  in  short,  I 
took  from  you  the  service  of  an  acknowledged  lover. 
Fanny  is  resolved  that  I  shall  marry  Lord  Rashleigh, 
and  so  is  my  clever  brother-in-law.  Do  you  not  see, 
then,  sir,  how  hemmed  in  to  secrecy  I  am.  And, 
faith,  I  begin  to  think  you  are  very  insensible  to  the 
honour  I  am  doing  you." 


THERE    ARE    SO    MANY    WAYS   OF    LIVING.  73 

Then  George  accepted  the  situation.  For  there  is 
a  strange  bias  in  the  ethics  of  lovers  ;  a  smile  can 
throw  very  important  questions  out  of  all  just  per 
spective,  and  a  kiss  can  make  things  that  are  as  if 
they  were  not.  George  at  this  hour  saw  events  en 
tirely  through  Bernicia's  eyes,  and  he  continued  to  do 
so  until  Lady  Pomfret  entered  the  room.  The  swing 
and  swish  of  her  silk  robe,  the  patter  of  her  heeled 
shoes,  and  the  sound  of  her  voice  prattling  to  her  lap- 
dog  advised  them  of  her  approach  in  sufficient  time 
to  preserve  the  attitude  of  their  supposed  acquaint 
ance  with  each  other. 

But  Fanny  was  at  first  a  little  haughty.  George 
had  caused  her  to  be  delayed,  to  quarrel  with  her 
sister,  to  generally  get  her  engagements  into  sixes  and 
sevens  on  the  previous  day,  and  she  had  no  pleasant 
remembrances  of  the  young  man  to  balance  this  feeling. 
Indeed,  she  knew  so  little  of  him  that  she  was  not 
entirely  sure  of  his  identity  until  Bernicia  made  him 
formally  known  to  her.  Then  the  tide  of  her  liking 
began  to  turn  at  once.  She  recollected  that  she  had 
called  him  a  "  vulgar  tradesman,"  and  she  smiled  to 
herself  at  the  misnomer.  No  finer  gentleman  had 
ever  bowed  to  her.  And  he  had  the  wit  to  open  the 
conversation  at  once  with  the  subject  tha,t  was  so  near 
and  so  interesting  to  her. 

"  I  ask  your  pardon,  cousin,  for  my  intrusion,"  he 
said.  "  I  hope,  however,  my  reason  may  prove  a  suf 
ficient  excuse.  I  am  going  into  France,  where  I  hear 
Sir  Harry  Cresswell  now  is,  and  it  will  be  much  to  my 
pleasure  if  I  can  be  your  servant  in  anything  relating 
to  his  welfare,  or,  indeed,  for  lace,  perfumes,  fans,  or 
any  trifle  you  yourself  may  desire." 


74  BERNICIA. 

The  giving  of  his  title  to  the  exiled  nobleman 
opened  Fanny's  heart  wide  to  the  sensible  young  man. 
She  sat  down  by  his  side,  and  with  rapid,  feeling 
eloquence  gave  him  directions  for  influencing  her 
brother.  "  Indeed,  Cousin  George,"  she  said  in  con 
clusion,  "you  are  a  very  godsend,  and  if  you  have 
the  luck  to  bring  our  exile  home,  I  shall  feel  myself 
forever  bound  to  you."  With  that  she  begged  him  to 
remain  and  eat  dinner  with  them,  and  be  introduced 
to  Lord  Pomfret,  but  George  was  far  too  prudent  to 
push  a  new  advantage  to  extremity. 

"  Then  Bernicia  shall  play  you  a  setting  of  Arnes," 
she  said.  "  Sure  you  must  know  it,  for  'tis  one  of 
Shakspere's  songs,  a  dainty  morsel  truly.  Ah,  here 
it  is  !  Come,  sir,  I  have  been  told  that  you  have  a 
voice  far  beyond  the  common." 

Then  she  drew  Bernicia  to  the  harpsichord,  and 
spread  out  before  her  the  deliciously  tinkling,  airy, 
fairy  music  of  "  Where  the  Bee  Sucks." 

Now,  music  had  no  charms  for  Fanny  Pomfret,  she 
did  not  care  for  it  in  any  kind,  and  when  she  heard 
George's  and  Bernicia's  voices  blending  in  the  inter 
chaining  melody,  she  lifted  her  Blenheim  spaniel, 
Mustache,  and  began  to  tell  him,  in  Mother  Goose 
fashion,  how  one  little  paw  went  to  market  and  the 
other  little  paw  stayed  at  home,  etc.  And  she  was 
quite  as  much  interested  in  giving  her  dog  this  infor 
mation  as  George  and  Bernicia  were  in  setting  each 
other  love  riddles  with  their  eyes,  so  that  no  one  per 
ceived  the  advent  of  Lord  Pomfret  and  his  friend, 
Lord  Rashleigh,  until  they  stood  within  the  door.  Lord 
Pomfret  looked  curious  and  pleased  ;  Rashleigh — 
who  had  caught  George's  love-lit  face  and  Bernicia's 


THERE    ARE   SO    MANY    WAYS   OF    LOVING.  75 

consenting  voice  and  attitude — looked  as  a  man  looks 
when  he  meets  his  rival  and  knows  it,  and  feels  that 
it  would  be  a  delight  to  come  to  immediate  issue 
with  him. 

There  was  an  instant  apprehension  of  the  intrusion. 
The  music  ceased  in  the  middle  of  a  crescendo,  and 
Lady  Pomfret  rose  with  a  pretty  cry  of  welcome.  She 
looked  amazingly  charming  as  she  advanced,  clasping 
Mustache  in  her  left  arm,  and  holding  out  her  right 
hand  to  her  husband. 

"  Oh  ! "  she  exclaimed,  "  I  have  a  delightful  sur 
prise  for  you,  my  dear  lord.  Here  has  come  my 
cousin,  George  Abney,  of  whom  you  have  heard  so 
much.  Is  he  like  me  ?  Is  he  like  Bernicia  ?  I  do 
really  think  his  eyes  resemble  those  of  my  dear 
mother.  That  you  must  observe." 

Of  course  Lord  Pomfret  observed  it,  or  he  said  so, 
which  answered  the  same  purpose.  And  with  this 
evident  claim  to  his  favour  he  pressed,  though  unavail- 
ingly,  his  hospitality  upon  his  relative.  Yet  it  was  an 
interesting  family  picture,  the  handsome  young  citizen 
smiling  at  Bernicia,  who  leaned  upon  her  sister,  and 
lifted  her  eyes  to  Lord  Pomfret  that  he  might  compare 
them  with  the  eyes  of  her  cousin,  George  Abney — a 
picture,  however,  which  filled  Lord  Rashleigh  with 
hatred  and  anger. 

"  I  hope  in  my  soul,"  he  muttered,  "  Lady  Pomfret 
will  not  introduce  the  fellow  to  me."  And  when  she 
did  so,  he  was  as  rude  as  he  had  resolved  to  be. 
Sensitive  as  a  woman,  George  felt  this  antagonism, 
but  he  bowed  slightly  with  the  air  of  one  who  submits 
to  an  insult  for  the  sake  of  others,  and  Rashleigh 
turned  on  his  heel.  This  incipient  challenge  was  of 


76  BERNICIA. 

such  rapid  passage  as  hardly  to  be  noticeable,  yet 
everyone  felt  its  influence,  and  were  glad  when  the 
door  was  closed  between  the  two  young  men. 

"  Did  you  see  the  meeting,  John  ?  did  you  see  it  ? " 
Lady  Pomfret  asked  her  husband  when  the  even 
ing  was  over,  and  Rashleigh  had  gone  away  in  a 
thunderous  temper,  having  lost  a  large  sum  of  money 
at  play  through  his  own  carelessness.  "  Such  hatred  ! 
Such  defiance  !  Did  you  see  it,  John?" 

"  I  saw  that  they  were  instantly  jealous  of  each 
other.  But  your  cousin,  George  Abney,  is  a  Dis 
senter,  and  he  will  have  '  principles '  about  duels.  I 
do  not  think  they  will  fight." 

"  I  tell  you,  they  met  like  dogs  on  the  street.  They 
may  not  fight,  but  they  are  both  ready  to  do  so." 

And  Lady  Pomfret  laughed  and  ran  into  her  sister's 
bedroom  to  have  her  laugh  out.  "  Let  me  congratu 
late  you,  Bernicia  !  "  she  cried.  "  Lord  John  thinks 
there  will  be  a  duel  about  you.  That  will  set  your 
fame  flying.  That  will  make  the  men  run  mad  for 
you  !  Tell  me,  are  you  smitten  with  our  cousin's 
beauty  ?  Beyond  cavil,  he  is  as  handsome  as  Apollo, 
Do  you  love  him  ?  And  if  so,  pray  how  do  you  love 
him  ?  A  little  ?  or  a  great  deal  ?  or  beyond  every 
thing  ? " 

And  Bernicia  answered  with  a  sleepy  smile,  "  I 
have  not  yet  asked  myself,  Fanny — there  are  so  many 
ways  of  loving." 


CHAPTER  IV. 

A    DRAWING-ROOM    SERMON. 

WHAT  is  happiness  ?  Generally  speaking,  it  is 
gratified  self-love.  So  Bernicia  was  not  happy,  for 
her  self-love  had  been  deeply  wounded,  and  that  by 
a  person  of  whom  Lady  Eomfret  would  not  permit 
her  to  speak.  She  therefore  looked  forward  to  Wed 
nesday,  anticipating  some  confidence  and  discussion 
with  her  relatives  in  Bloomsbury  Square.  But  when 
Wednesday  arrived  she  was  inert,  gloomy,  and  decid 
edly  cross.  It  was  mid-afternoon  when  she  reached 
the  Bouverie  mansion,  and  madame  was  taking  her 
usual  rest. 

But  Claire  met  her  on  the  threshold  with  more  than 
ordinary  delight  ;  her'  face  was  beaming,  she  was 
prettily  dressed,  and  her  voice  had  that  vibrancy 
which  is  only  imparted  by  real  pleasure.  Bernicia 
allowed  herself  to  fall  to  a  still  lower  pitch  in  the 
presence  of  such  visible  content,  and  without  any  con 
scious  feeling  of  the  kind,  she  was  offended  by  this 
want  of  sympathy  with  her  own  condition.  She  sub 
mitted,  however,  to  Claire's  mood,  and  walked  silently 
upstairs  at  her  side,  listening  to  words  of  welcome 
and  to  affectionate  platitudes. 

"  I  have  been  watching  for  you  all  morning,  Ber 
nicia,"  she  said.  "  I  never  was  so  anxious  to  see 
you,  and  you  never  were  so  late  in  coming.  Are  you 
sick,  dear  cousin  ?  " 

77 


78  BERNICIA. 

"Indeed  I  am  neither  well  nor  sick.  I  have  a 
megrim,  a  dolor,  a  feeling  as  if  life  had  cold- 
shouldered  me.  Routs,  balls,  and  plays  are  become 
a  very  weariness.  I  wish  we  could  have  a  storm. 
I  wither  in  this  everyday,  everyday  sunshine  !  " 

"I  thought  you  loved  the  sunshine,  Bernicia  ?" 

"I  do,  over  the  hills  and  moors.  But  in  these 
glaring  noisy  streets  it  is  a  very  melancholy  thing, 
I  assure  you." 

"You  are  not  like  yourself-  to-day,  Bernicia. 
George  went  away  so  happy  I  thought  surely  you  had 
given  him  reason  for  his  happiness.  And  I  do  think 
a  love  affair  with  George  must  be  a  paradise  on 
earth." 

"  I  know  not.     I  have  a  discontent  with  all  things." 

"  And  you  have  so  much  to  make  you  glad  !  Do 
not  be  ungrateful.  God  loves  a  grateful  heart, 
Bernicia." 

"  I  have  reason  to  believe  that  my  heart  is  altogether 
sinful  and  disagreeable  to  him." 

Claire  looked  at  her  wonderingly.  Never  before 
had  she  seen  her  cousin  so  gloomy  and  troubled. 
She  had  thrown  herself  upon  the  bed,  and  a  sombre 
inertia  seemed  to  invade  her  instantly.  For  a  few 
minutes  Claire  said  not  a  word.  She  sat  down  by 
Bernicia's  side,  and  a  tender  soul  instinct  taught  her 
to  avoid  anything  like  mockery  or  laughter  ;  yet  as 
soon  as  silence  became  strained  and  painful  she  asked 
gently. 

"Who  has  been  troubling  your  heart,  Bernicia?" 

"  That  man  George  Whitefield.  I  wish  that  I  had 
never  seen  him.  It  was  very  unkind  of  Fanny  to  take 
me  near  him." 


A    DRAWING-ROOM    SERMON,  79 

"  Then  you  were  at  Lady  Huntington's  on  Sabbath 
night?" 

"  Fanny  persuaded  me  to  go  there.  But  I  assure  you, 
I  shall  go  no  more  to  my  Lady  Huntington's  spiritual 
routs." 

"  What  said  Mr.  Whitefield  ?  " 

"The  most  impolite  things  imaginable.  I  wonder 
not  at  Lady  Suffolk's  impatience  and  offence.  He 
spoke  of  my  heart  as  sinful  and  vain  and  foolish,  with 
much  more  to  the  same  purport." 

"  He  meant  not  you  in  particular." 

"  Faith,  I  think  he  did  !  He  looked  at  me,  and  his 
words  went  through  me  like  a  sword.  Those  weary 
of  lovers  and  races  and  plays  may  like  this  sensation 
for  a  change,  but  I  will  have  no  more  of  it." 

"  Indeed,  I  think  that  those  who  listen  to  Mr.  White- 
field  are  more  in  sincerity  than  desirous  of  a  mere 
change." 

"You  will  see.  Lady  Huntington  will  die,  and 
then  Mr.  Whitefield  will  go  out  of  fashion  ;  and  the 
elect  ladies  will  return  to  the  common  wicked  world, 
and  will  love  dress,  and  play  basset,  and  go  to  Rane- 
lagh  and  the  Rotunda  again." 

"  I  thought  you  would  like  Mr.  Whitefield.  I  am 
sorry  you  do  not.  Tell  me  about  the  service." 

"  I  will  tell  you  this  evening.  I  want  to  hear  what 
Uncle  William  says,  and  I  care  not  to  go  over  the 
matter  twice.  I  wish  rather  that  you  would  order  me 
a  cup  of  balm  or  peppermint  tea.  I  am  strangely 
fluttered  and  restless.  Tarset  is  very  angry  at  Fanny 
for  taking  me  to  such  a  service.  *  As  if  there  wasn't 
bread  enough  and  to  spare  in  my  Father's  house,'  she 
says;  'my  Father's  house*  meaning  of  course  St. 


80  BERNICIA. 

Paul's  or  St.  George's.  She  put  my  prayer-book  under 
my  pillow,  but  it  did  me  no  good.  I  will  have  some 
balm  tea,  Claire,  and  then  wash  and  refresh  myself  a 
little.  I  suppose  you  know  that  George  has  gone  to 
France  to  see  my  brother  Harry  ?  " 

"  I  asked  George  no  questions.  I  was  sure  you 
would  tell  me  all  that  you  desired  me  to  know." 

"  Indeed  I  will  keep  nothing  from  you,  Claire." 
And  then,  as  she  drank  her  tea,  she  explained  to  Claire 
the  circumstances  which  made  it  a  most  favourable 
time  for  Harry  to  ask  a  pardon.  "  And  I  truly  think 
he  will  return  with  George,  and  then  if  he  falls  not 
in  love  with  you,  Claire,  I  shall  fall  out  of  love  with 
him." 

"You  forget,  Bernicia.     I  may  yet  have  a  lover." 

"  Harry  will  drive  all  other  lovers  before  him." 

Claire  smiled,  but  did  not  pursue  the  subject,  and 
on  entering  the  parlour  they  found  William  Bouverie 
and  madame  in  an  animated  conversation  about  the 
proposed  removal  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Romaine  from  his 
curacy  of  St.  George's  parish. 

"  He  has  become  a  Methodist,  I  hear,"  said  Bou 
verie,  "and  the  church  is  now  thronged  with  the 
common  people,  so  that  the  regular  sitters  complain 
greatly  of  the  crush,  and  of  the  damage  done  to  the 
pew  cushions  and  to  their  dignity." 

"  What  then  hinders  his  removal  ?  "  said  madame. 
"The  rector  has  the  word  in  his  own  mouth." 

"  The  old  Earl  of  Northampton  hinders.  He  is  one 
of  the  parishioners,  and  he  is  on  the  side  of  the  Metho 
dist  curate.  It  is  said  in  the  coffee-houses  that  he 
spoke  up  bravely,  and  reminded  the  fashionable  con 
gregation  that  they  bore  the  greater  crush  of  a  ball- 


A    DRAWING-ROOM    SERMON.  8l 

room,  or  a  racecourse,  or  a  playhouse  without  incon 
venience.  But  Romaine  has  been  sitting  at  the  feet  of 
George  Whitefield,  and  he  is  undoubtedly  of  a  manly 
spirit  in  the  things  of  God." 

"  Well,  son  William,"  answered  madame,  "  it  is  time 
someone  spoke  on  the  Lord's  side.  I  have  been 
young  and  now  I  am  old,  but  I  never  before  saw  the 
land  so  godless  ;  and  atheism  so  rampant.  We  need 
more  Butlers  and  Sherlocks." 

"  We  need  more  Whitefields  and  Wesleys,  mother. 
We  need  great  preachers  of  righteousness,  far  more 
than  arguers  and  apologists.  No  man  will  ever  be 
saved  by  Butler  and  Sherlock,  but  thousands  are 
being  saved  daily  by  the  preaching  of  the  Cross  of 
Christ.  I  tell  you  there  is  something  wonderful  in 
this  religious  movement  called  Methodism.  Where  it 
will  grow  to,  I  know  not  ;  but  I  was  told  to-day  that 
Mr.  Whitefield  has  had  several  interviews  with  the 
Prince  of  Wales,  and  that  the  prince  is  much  moved 
by  his  entreaties.  And  in  other  ways  the  Word  has 
a  free  course.  There  seems  to  be  a  thirst  after 
righteousness  in  high  places.  Good  Lady  Huntington 
and  the  honourable  women  who " 

"  Good  Lady  Huntington  !  "  interrupted  Bernicia. 
"  She  has  the  family  taste  for  doing  things  beyond 
others.  Fanny  says  the  whole  Ferrers  family  have 
mad  blood.  It  takes  the  form  of  brutality  in  Lord 
Ferrers,  and  of  bigotry  in  Lady  Huntington." 

"  My  dear  niece,  Lady  Huntington  has  been  favoured 
with  many  evidences  of  good.  I  hear  that  George 
Whitefield — a  man  certainly  approved  of  God — has 
become  her  chaplain,  and  that  he  is  shaking  sinners 
in  high  places." 


82  BERNICIA. 

"  Bernicia  was  at  Lady  Huntington's  last  Sabbath 
night,"  said  Claire.  "  She  can  tell  us  if  these  things 
be  so." 

Madame  was  instantly  interested. 

"  We  will  hear  Bernicia,"  she  said.  "  The  little 
maid  will  stick  to  the  truth.  Were  there  so  many 
there,  and  of  such  quality,  as  is  reported,  Bernicia  ? 
And  what  kind  of  countenance  has  this  man  ?  Come, 
child,  you  have  a  word  I  wish  to  listen  to." 

"  I  went  with  Fanny,"  answered  Bernicia,  blushing 
brightly  at  finding  herself  the  centre  of  interest,  "  and 
though  we  were  an  hour  before  the  sermon,  it  is  true 
we  found  the  street  full  of  coaches,  and  the  stairways 
and  parlours  of  Lady  Huntington's  house  crowded  with 
a  splendid  throng  of  lords  and  ladies.  You  would 
have  thought  it  was  a  rout,  only  that  the  people  talked 
in  a  lower  voice.  And  as  Lady  Huntington  is  always 
very  attentive  to  newcomers,  she  brought  Fanny  and 
me  to  seats  near  a  raised  platform  at  the  north  end  of 
the  room.  So  while  Fanny  talked  with  the  Countess 
of  Chesterfield,  I  watched  the  company,  and  listened 
to  their  remarks." 

"  And  pray  what  heard  you  ?  "  asked  madame. 

"  Someone  sitting  near  me  said,  '  That  saint,  our 
friend  Chesterfield,  was  here  last  Sunday,  and  he  gave 
me  such  an  account  of  Mr.  Whitefield  that  I  am 
anxious  to  hear  this  apostolic  person.'  He  was,  as 
you  may  perceive,  grandmother,  apologizing  for  being 
present,  and  laying  the  blame  of  his  presence  upon 
*  that  saint,  our  friend  Chesterfield/  " 

"  And  what  was  the  reply  ?  " 

"  I  heard  it  not  perfectly,  but  it  concerned  Lady 
Townshend,  who  was  reported  to  have  said  *  she  did 


A    DRAWING-ROOM    SERMON.  83 

not  go  out  to  dinner  this  season,  for  fear  she  should 
be  offered  a.  Methodist  pie.'  Then  Lady  Fanny 
Shirley  entered,  and  Mrs.  Howard  whispered  to  a 
duchess  on  my  left  :  *  Mr.  Walpole  thinks  Lady  Fanny 
is  taking  the  way  of  Methodism  to  bestow  the  dregs 
of  her  beauty/  and  the  duchess  laughed  softly  and 
answered  '  Dear  Mr.  Walpole  !  He  is  always  so 
witty.'  Such  was  the  conversation  of  the  saints  wait 
ing  for  the  apostolic  Mr.  Whitefield.  I  dare  say  you 
are  tired  of  it,  grandmother." 

"  Go  on,  child." 

"  Indeed,  I  heard  but  one  other  remark  worth  the 
telling  :  Miss  Betty  Belhurst  simpered  to  Lady  Town- 
shend,  '  I  hear  it  is  reported  that  Mr.  Whitefield  will 
recant  all  his  errors  publicly,  and  make  his  obedience 
to  his  bishop.'  And  Lady  Townshend  looked  at  her 
scornfully,  and  spoke  up  as  sharp  and  hot  as  mustard 
seed,  '  No,  miss,  he  will  not  recant  ;  he  will  only  cant!  ' 
For  nothing  is  more  strange  than  Lady  Townshend's 
liking  and  hating  of  Mr.  Whitefield.  She  adores  him 
one  hour,  and  detests  him  the  next.  Fanny  says  :  *  She 
is  that  way  mad,'  and  in  faith,  I  think  I  could  be  mad 
in  the  same  direction  !  " 

"  But  this  conversation  went  not  on  while  Mr. 
Whitefield  was  preaching  ? "  asked  Bouverie. 

"  Had  you  ever  heard  Mr.  Whitefield  preach, 
uncle,"  answered  Bernicia,  "  you  would  not  imagine 
such  a  thing  could  ever  come  to  pass.  As  soon  as  the 
velvet  curtains  parted  and  he  walked  forward  to  the 
front  of  the  platform,  there  was  a  stillness  so  sudden 
and  so  perfect,  that  the  flutter  of  a  ribbon  would  have 
made  you  start." 

"  Is  he  handsome  ?     Has  he  presence  ?     Does  he 


84  BERNICIA. 

look  like  one  who  has  the  divine  call  and  seal  ? " 
asked  madame. 

"  Indeed  he  has  a  graceful,  beautiful  presence,  a 
beaming  countenance,  and  a  wondrously  tuneful  voice. 
And  his  silk  gown  and  spotless  bands  might  have 
served  an  archbishop.  Oh,  a  very  proper  and  be 
speaking  person,  I  can  assure  you  !  " 

"  And  how  did  he  order  the  service  ? "  asked 
Bouverie.  "  Was  it  in  the  manner  of  the  Church  of 
England,  with  prayers  and  confessions  ?  " 

"  There  was  no  question  of  such  service.  It  was 
evident  he  came  to  preach  about  Jesus  Christ,  and  he 
struck  that  key  at  once.  Christ  was  his  first  thought, 
and  he  had  no  second.  '  Come  away  ! '  he  cried. 
*  Come  away  out  of  all  your  doubts  and  desirings  ! 
Come  away  to  the  love  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus  !  He 
will  cause  the  lame  to  walk,  and  he  will  carry  those 
who  cannot  go.'  It  was  like  the  entreaty  of  an  angel 
from  heaven  ! "  and  Bernicia  covered  her  face  with 
her  hands  and  was  visibly  affected  at  the  memory. 
After  a  moment's  silence  she  said  softly,  "  I  remember 
not  the  precise  words,  but  they  went  through  me  with 
such  sweet  compelling  power,  that  I  am  sure  had 
the  Christ  been  visibly  present  I  had  gone  to  his  feet 
to  weep  there.  But  as  Mr.  Whitefield  continued 
speaking  his  voice  changed,  and  I  was  frightened 
at  what  he  said,  though  he  forced  me  to  look  at 
him  as  he  asked,  '  Oh,  heart  !  heart  !  what  art  thou  ? 
the  vainest,  foolishest,  wickedest  thing  in  nature. 
Yet  Jesus  asks  for  thee.  Jesus  died  for  thee.  Oh, 
wonderful  love  !  Oh,  adorable  love ! '  And  of 
course  I  was  angry  that  he  should  talk  to  me 
especially." 


A    DRAWING-ROOM    SERMON.  85 

"  Nay,"  said  madame,  "  that  was  but  the  arrow 
conscience  sent." 

"  That,  or  this,  I  tried  not  to  heed  his  words,  but 
rather  to  watch  how  others  heeded  them.  So  far  I 
went  in  such  intent,  as  to  imagine  how  I  would  imitate 
this  one,  and  that  one,  and  perhaps  also  the  preacher 
himself.  Suddenly  he  paused  and  said  in  a  voice  that 
went  to  my  inmost  heart :  '  Beware  of  premeditated 
sins.  If  you  do  wrong  inadvertently,  or  passionately,  or 
carelessly,  you  may  dare  to  say,  "  Father,  forgive  me  !  " 
But  when  you  plan  where  you  will  sin,  and  how  you 
will  sin,  you  wantonly  insult  the  love  and  majesty  of 
God  ;.and  you  may  not  presume  to  come  into  his  holy 
and  awful  presence.'  I  was  sick  with  fear  and 
wonder,  for  how  could  he  discover  my  very  thoughts  ? 
I  liked  it  not.  I  was  glad  when  there  was  a  great  sigh 
and  a  sudden  silence,  and  the  people  began  to  move." 

" 1  wish  that  I  had  been  there,"  said  Claire.  "  And 
pray  tell  us  what  took  place  after  the  sermon  ?  " 

"  Mr.  Whitefield  talked  to  Lord  Bolingbroke,  who 
appeared  to  be  pleased  and  very  civil  ;  indeed  I  heard 
him  tell  the  preacher  that  he  had  '  done  the  attributes 
of  the  Almighty  great  justice.'  Lord  Chesterfield  was 
also  vastly  polite,  but  it  would  have  made  you  admire 
and  wonder  to  see  Pulteney — the  great  Earl  of  Bath — 
laying  aside  his  politics  and  singing  a  hymn  from  the 
same  book  witli  Lady  Chesterfield.  Can  you  imagine 
it  ?  Young  Lord  Dartmouth  was  there  ;  and  Sir 
Charles  Hotham  and  Lady  Gertrude  Hotham,  and 
many  more  of  the  primest  quality.  They  stood  talk 
ing  softly  in  little  groups  ;  they  wiped  their  eyes  ; 
they  vowed  it  was  all  delightfully  tender  ;  but  Fanny 
whispered  to  me  :  '  They  will  be  at  their  cards  and 


86  BERNICIA. 

their  vanities  as  naturally  as  ever  to-morrow  morn- 
ing.'  " 

"Fanny  said  more  than  she  knew,"  interrupted 
madame.  "  Fanny  Pomfret  is  not  one  of  the  Lord's 
privy  councillors.  If  George  Whitefield  has  sown 
good  seed,  such  seed  will  never  die." 

"Indeed,  mother,"  said  William  Bouverie,  "there  is 
hope  for  every  soul  that  was  granted  such  a  blessed 
opportunity." 

"  Many  are  called,  few  are  chosen,  son  William," 
madame  answered,  with  a  judicial  aspect. 

"  We  must  believe,  mother,  that  all  who  heard  such 
gracious  words  will  answer  them.  Do  you  think  there 
was  one  in  that  company  who  would  have  dared  to 
stand  up  and  say,  /  have  no  Saviour  ?  " 

Madame  did  not  reply,  and  Bernicia  continued  : 
"  The  unhappy  Lady  Marlborough  spoke  for  many 
besides  herself,  no  doubt.  I  was  at  her  side  when  Mr. 
Whitefield  addressed  her  very  feelingly  about  her  soul, 
and  she  answered  politely  :  '  Sir,  your  concern  for  my 
religious  improvement  is  very  obliging,  and  God  knows 
we  all  need  mending,  and  none  more  so  than  myself ; 
but,  sir '  Then  she  ceased  speaking  and  Mr.  White- 
field  asked,  *  But  what  ? '  So  she  went  on  half-crying, 
'We  women  of  wit  and  beauty  and  quality  cannot  bear 
such  humiliating  truths  ;  they  hurt  our  pride  ;  yet  as 
you  say,  sir,  we  must  all  die  and  converse  with  earth 
and  worms.'  She  was  pale  and  tearful,  and  her  hands 
were  in  such  a  tremble  she  could  hardly  fasten  her 
cloak  ;  but  in  the  next  minute  she  was  talking  to 
Fanny  about  Lady  Sarah  Spencer's  rout.  And  so,  you 
see,  it  is  as  God  pleases,  after  all.  As  for  me,  I  will 
go  no  more  to  hear  such  sermons.  Tarset  said  truly, 


A    DRAWING-ROOM    SERMON.  87 

I  was  right  served  for  running  after  false  shepherds, 
when  the  door  of  my  own  fold  stood  open." 

"  Has  Tarset  heard  Mr.  Whitefield  preach  ?  "  asked 
Claire. 

"  Tarset  prides  herself  upon  being  a  faithful  Church- 
woman,  and  she  has  very  strong  opinions  about  field 
preaching.  She  will  not  hear  a  word  in  Mr.  White- 
field's  favour.  It  is  enough  for  her  that  he  is  disobey 
ing  his  bishop  and  preaching  out  of  a  consecrated 
building.  Last  Sunday  I  offered  her  a  book  about 
him,  and  she  would  not  touch  it.  She  said '  she  never 
read  anything  but  her  Bible  and  prayer-book  ;  or  on 
Sundays,  maybe,  a  bit  out  of  Fox's  Book  of  Martyrs  ; 
and  she  thought  she  had  gone  through  life  none  so 
badly.'  " 

"  Did  Mr.  Whitefield  speak  to  you,  Bernicia  ? " 
asked  madame. 

"  No.  I  was  afraid  of  him.  And  let  me  tell  you, 
Mr.  Whitefield  talking  and  Mr.  Whitefield  preaching 
are  very  different  men.  The  talking  man  is  not  extra 
ordinary,  the  preaching  man  is  an  apostle,  a  most 
seraphic  creature  indeed." 

"  And  what  opinion  had  your  sister  Fanny  ?  " 

"She  was  far  from  pleased,  grandmother.  Fanny 
thought  his  allusions  to  the  nobility  very  impertinent  ; 
Mr.  Whitefield  would  have  shaken  hands  with  Fanny, 
but  she  made  him  a  courtesy  and  withdrew  herself." 

"  But  why  did  she  go  at  all,  if  she  intended  only 
offence?" 

"  You  must  know  that  we  went  there,  not  to  hear 
Mr.  Whitefield,  but  to  please  Lady  Chesterfield,  who 
is  only  to  be  won  on  her  Methodist  side.  And  just 
now  her  favour  is  very  necessary  to  us.  For  this  reason 


88  BERNICIA. 

Fanny  will  go  again,  and  she  thinks  it  no  bad  enter 
tainment  for  a  Sunday  night,  if  you  only  keep  posses 
sion  of  yourself.  As  for  me,  I  would  rather  stay  with 
Tarset  and  talk  about  Cresswell ;  or  even  read 
romances  to  Lord  Pomfret ;  for  it  is  much  to  Fanny's 
credit  that  she  likes  not  cards  in  her  house  on 
Sunday." 

For  an  hour  they  talked  on  this  subject,  and  Ber- 
nicia  listened  with  the  air  of  one  who  listens  against 
her  will.  She  was  distrait  ;  she  said  she  had  a  head 
ache,  that  she  had  not  slept  well  lately,  nor  eaten,  nor 
been  like  herself,  and  that  Fanny  thought  she  required 
a  change  of  air.  "  So  if  Lord  Pomfret  can  leave  Lon 
don,"  she  added,  "  we  are  going  info  the  country,  and 
will  give  the  vanities,  the  fops,  and  the  beauties  rest 
for  a  month  or  two."  She  laughed  a  little  at  the  idea, 
but  the  laugh  was  without  mirth  ;  and  rising,  she  con 
tinued,  "  Thank  Heaven,  I  am  suddenly  sleepy  !  I  beg 
you  to  excuse  my  company  longer." 

Now,  there  was  in  each  heart  a  conviction  that  Ber- 
nicia  was  troubled  as  Felix  was  troubled,  but  only 
madame  dared  to  touch  the  wounded  soul.  And  this 
she  did  very  tenderly,  stroking  the  girl's  hair  and 
drawing  her  face  downward,  as  she  whispered,  in 
answer  to  Bernicia's  "  Good-night,  grandmother," 
"  Child,  child,  Christ  is  waiting  !  Open  the  door 
unto  him  !  " 

The  thought  haunted  Bernicia  all  through  the  night. 
Once  she  lifted  her  head  from  the  pillow,  and  put  her 
bare  feet  to  the  floor,  and  felt  constrained  to  go  to 
the  door  of  the  room.  There  was  no  one  there.  Her 
eyes  were  not  opened.  She  did  not  see,  as  Colonel 
Gardiner  had  seen,  the  Crucified  One  with  outstretched 


A    DRAWING-ROOM    SERMON.  89 

arms  and  eyes  of  infinite  pity  entreating  her.  The 
long  dark  corridors  were  silent  and  empty,  and  sob 
bing  bitterly  she  went  back  to  her  bed  ;  being  mis 
erable  and  fearful,  and  also  angry  at  her  misery 
and  fear. 

In  the  morning  she  was  glad  to  escape  from  the 
society  of  Claire.  Her  calm  satisfaction  and  her 
placid  happiness  was  irritating.  She  wondered  how 
it  was  that  Claire  had  no  regrets  for  her  present  life, 
and  no  fears  for  her  future  one.  Claire,  however, 
had  not  heard  Mr.  Whitefield  preach,  and  Bernicia 
determined  to  persuade  Fanny  to  take  her  to  Lady 
Huntington's  next  service.  "  I  own  I  should  be 
glad  to  see  her  complacency  shaken  a  little,"  she 
thought. 

In  this  mood  she  met  Lady  Pomfret,  whose  first 
words  were  :  "  Why,  Bernicia,  you  look  as  if  you  had 
an  ague  !  No  more  lace,  I  see." 

"  I  am  sure  grandmother  had  not  one  lace  thought. 
Her  talk  was  of  religion  and  the  clergy.  She  had  no 
leanings  to  this  world  and  its  vanities." 

"  Lord  Rashleigh  will  be  here  in  an  hour." 

"  Pray  what  does  that  signify  ? " 

"  That  you  may  be  Lady  Rashleigh  before  Christ 
mas  if  you  play  your  cards  well." 

"  Let  someone  win  Lord  Rashleigh  who  wants  him. 
I  will  play  them  a  losing  game." 

**  What  objections  have  you  to  him  !  " 

"  Grammercy  !  The  man  is  a  fool.  He  sells  his 
life  for  a  pack  of  cards  and  a  dice  box." 

"  He  is  of  a  most  ancient  family." 

"  I  wish  that  the  Flood  had  washed  it  away — root 
and  branch." 


90  BERNICIA. 

"  When  you  first  met  Lord  Rashleigh,  you  appeared 
to  be  well  inclined  to  him." 

"  'Tis  a  long  time  since  I  first  met  him.  He  has 
delayed  too  much.  There  never  is  a  lucky  hour  after 
the  first  opportunity.  He  missed  it." 

"  You  are  contradictious  and  disagreeable,  Bernicia." 

"  I  can  no  more  help  it,  Fanny,  than  I  can  change 
my  destiny." 

"  You  have  not  been  yourself  since  you  heard  Mr. 
Whitefield  preach." 

"I  think  Mr.  Whitefield's  opinions  will  be  the 
death  of  me." 

"  The  low,  base  fellow  !  As  for  my  Lady  Dowager 
Hypocrite,  I  have  no  patience  with  the  creature. 
She  stands  above  us  only  on  Mr.  Whitefield's 
shoulders.  And  her  motives  are  easily  to  be  seen. 
She  has  no  beauty  to  make  men  run  after  her  ;  dancing 
gives  her  a  vertigo  ;  she  always  loses  at  cards ;  and 
so,  to  make  herself  of  some  account  in  the  world,  she 
has  taken  to  piety  and  preachings.  Did  you  really 
hear  any  unusual  word  from  Mr.  Whitefield  ?  He  is, 
to  be  sure,  very  handsome  and  graceful,  but  never 
trust  me,  if  these  advantages  are  not  the  whole  of  this 
*  heavenly-minded  '  person's  excellencies." 

"  We  are  no  happier  for  talking  of  Mr.  Whitefield. 
I  wish  that  you  would  take  Claire  Abney  with  you 
next  Sunday.  I  confess  that  it  would  please  me  if  he 
made  her  tremble  a  little." 

"  Tremble  !  Let  me  assure  you  it  is  most  unneces 
sary.  Mrs.  Russell  told  me  this  morning  that  the 
great  Bishop  Wilson,  being  asked  about  the  terrors  of 
Mr.  Whitefield's  hearers,  said,  '  Men  and  women  could 
love  God  without  being  terrified  of  him,  and  that  it 


A    DRAWING-ROOM    SERMON.  91 

was  only  devils  who  believed  and  trembled.'  Depend 
upon  [it  Mr.  Whitefield's  doctrines  are  very  heretical 
and  abominable." 

"  I  am  not  a  good  woman,  Fanny.     I  wish  I  were." 

"  You  are  very  suitable  to  the  station  in  life  in 
which  it  has  pleased  God  to  place  you.  Could  you 
be  content  to  go  to  heaven  at  once  ?  Do  not  look  up 
and  down,  and  east  and  west,  and  north  and  south 
about  it.  Answer  me,  could  you  be  content  to  go  to 
heaven  at  once  ?  " 

"Not  immediately,  Fanny.  Perhaps  on  my  con 
science,  not  very  heartily." 

"  You  would  wish  a  little  more  of  this  world  first  ?  " 

"  I  may  say  so  much,  truly." 

"  Then  you  must  look  about  you.  Will  you  credit 
me  when  I  say  that  Allan  Cresswell  was  here  last 
night,  and  that  he  so  worked  on  Lord  Pomfret  that 
he  promised  to  bring  him  to  the  king  without  delay  ?  " 

"  What  is  to  be  done  ?  We  have  no  word  yet  from 
Harry." 

"  I  have  told  Lord  Pomfret  what  is  not  to  be  done. 
The  fellow  had  persuaded  him  that  Cresswell  was 
naught  but  barren  moors,  and  the  castle  falling  away, 
and  that  a  thousand  pounds  would  be  a  full  portion 
for  me,  and  John  is  needing  money, — he  always  is 
needing  money, — and  he  took  the  bait,  and  the  matter 
had  been  settled  but  that  my  signature  was  wanting 
to  it." 

"  And  mine  also.  Did  the  wretch  think  I  would 
sell  my  birthright  in  Cresswell  for  all  the  gold  in 
England  ?  " 

"  He  thought  your  signature  would  follow  mine, 
that  you  would  be  moved  as  Lord  Pomfret  and  I 


92  BERNICIA. 

wished  you,  that,  in  fact,  a  thousand  pounds  in  hand 
would  be  more  to  you  than  all  Cresswell  in  futurity." 

"  What  did  you  say  to  Lord  Pomfret  ?" 

'  'Tis  no  matter  what  I  said.  In  the  end  my 
words  were  very  convincing  to  him." 

"  Was  he  angry  ?  " 

"  He  had  a  fit  of  temper.  While  it  lasted  he  had  a 
busy  time  with  it.  But  it  did  not  last  long,  for  the 
dispute  led  him  naturally  to  the  Stuarts,  and  the 
Stuarts  to  the  king,  and  the  king  to  the  devil,  and  the 
last  party  put  him  in  the  wrong.  Then  I  had  only  to 
show  him  that  we  had  truth  on  our  side.  'Tis  a  pity 
that  truth  can  only  be  on  one  side,  is  it  not,  Bernicia  ?  " 

"  Faith  !  I  think  not.  I  do  not  wish  my  enemies 
to  be  as  far  right  as  myself.  What  said  Lord  John, 
then  ?  " 

"  Something  about  *  a  little  brimstone  wife.'  And 
when  John  gets  to  calling  names,  he  is  lost.  I  fell 
into  a  temper,  and  I  am  always  handsome  when  I  am 
in  a  temper.  So  John  saw  that  he  was  in  the  wrong, 
and  he  gave  up  the  whole  business,  crust  and  crumb. 
And  it  is  a  pleasure  to  me  this  morning  to  think  of 
Allan  Cresswell  kicking  his  heels  at  the  place  ap 
pointed.  Let  him  wear  his  hopes  threadbare  in 
watching  and  waiting.  By  the  Lord  Harry,  it  is  good 
enough  for  the  traitor  !  " 
i  "  What  an  obliging  husband  you  have,  Fanny  !  " 

"  I  trust  I  know  that  much,  without  a  lesson  on  it. 
Yet  I  would  like  to  do  something  to  show  that  I  value 
his  kindness,  and  it  came  into  my  head  that  if  you 
would  marry  Lord  Rashleigh " 

"  I  could  not !  I  could  not !     Indeed,  I  could  not !  " 

"  Then  why  do  you  go  out  with  him  ?    Why  do  you 


A    DRAWING-ROOM    SERMON.  93 

see  him  ?  Why  do  you  sing  to  him  ?  Why  do  you 
dance  with  him  ?  Do  you  ever  intend  to  be  less  cruel  ? 
All  these  questions  the  world  is  asking." 

"  I  do  not  pretend  to  be  able  to  answer  the  world." 

"  Sh-h  !  Here  he  comes  !  I  know  the  clatter  of  his 
sword." 

"  Then  do  not  leave  me  !  If  you  do,  I  will  treat 
him  very  ill." 

"  Never  fear  ;  I  will  play  propriety." 

But  Rashleigh  had  scarcely  paid  his  respects  when 
Mrs.  Willoughby  and  her  two  daughters  entered. 
They  had  some  close  confidence  with  Lady  Pomfret, 
and,  in  a  few  minutes,  Bernicia  was  left  standing  by 
an  open  window  with  her  lover. 

"  I  see  that  you  are  dressed  for  the  street,"  he  said. 

"  I  have  just  come  from  the  street."  Then,  turning  to 
Jackanapes,  she  said  :  "  Go  and  tell  Tarset  I  want  her." 

As  she  spoke  she  was  removing  her  scarf  and  bon 
net,  and  when  Tarset  answered  her  summons,  she  bid 
her  take  them  to  the  dressing-room,  adding  :  "  When 
you  have  done  so,  bring  me  here  a  glass  of  cinnamon 
water,  for  I  am  strangely  faint  this  morning.  Will 
you  also  have  a  glass  ?  "  she  asked  of  Lord  Rashleigh  ; 
"  you  know  the  great  dean  says  it  is  a  sovereign 
remedy  for  an  indigestion." 

"  I  do  not  trust  the  dean's  remedy,  any  more  than  I 
trust  the  bishop's,"  replied  Rashleigh.  "  Swift  stands 
by  cinnamon  water,  and  Berkeley  swears  that  tar 
water  will  cure  every  mortal  ill.  Only  yesterday  I 
asked  my  apothecary  in  Cheapside  if  he  sold  much 
tar  water,  and  he  answered :  '  I  sell  nothing  else.' 
Tar  water !  I  trust  I  know  how  to  drink  more 
cleanly  !  " 


94  BERNICIA. 

"  I  was  speaking  of  cinnamon  water,  my  lord." 

"  I  entreat  a  thousand  pardons  for  speaking  of  the 
spice  and  the  tar  together.  Are  you  indeed  out  of 
health  ?  I  am  most  sorry.  Is  there  anything  I  can 
do  to  pleasure  you  ?  " 

"  Why,  yes.     But  would  you  do  it  ?  " 

"  On  my  life,  yes  !     What  do  you  desire  ? " 

"  I  have  a  cousin,  a  very  wretch.  If  you  would 
only  run  him  twice  through  the  body  with  your 
sword." 

"  'Twould  be  murder." 

"  Challenge  him,  and  make  it  honourable  murder." 

"  The  man  is  unknown  to  me — has  not  wronged  me. 
You  are  joking  ?  " 

"  Far  from  it.  The  man  has  it  in  his  mind  to  rob 
us  of  house  and  land.  I  wish  that  he  was  hanged ! 
I  wish  I  were  a  man,  that  I  might  force  quittance  at 
a  sword's  point !  " 

"  Give  me  a  right  to  do  so,  and  I  will  lift  your  quar 
rel.  Marry  me  to-day,  and  I  will  challenge  him  to 
morrow." 

"  You  would  turn  me  into  a  bargain — so  much  for 
so  much  ? " 

"  Is  not  everything  in  life  so  much  for  so  much  ? " 

"  I  see  that  we  shall  not  come  to  terms ;  and,  in 
deed,  I  am  very  little  in  earnest." 

"  But  I  am  very  much  in  earnest." 

"  'Tis  a  pity  of  it  !  Let  us  talk  of  other  things. 
Do  you  remember  the  first  night  we  met  ?  " 

"  'Tis  not  in  my  power  to  forget  it." 

"  You  spoke  of  having  heard  Mr.  Whitefield  preach.*' 

"I  was  then  full  of  Mr.  Whitefield." 

"  Have  you  heard  him  since  that  time  ?" 


A    DRAWING-ROOM    SERMON.  95 

"  I  have  made  a  point  of  not  hearing  him.  My 
friend,  young  Rotherham,  says  '  he  always  leaves  a 
thorn  behind  a  sermon,  some  word  that  rankles  and 
rankles/  Tis  a  point  of  comfort  to  avoid  such 
words." 

"  I  wish  that  you  would  go  to  Moorfields  and  hear 
Mr.  Whitefield  preach." 

"  I  must  rise  at  midnight,  then.  I  will  go  to  Lady 
Huntington's  again,  if  it  will  please  you." 

"  That  will  not  satisfy  me.  I  have  heard  Mr. 
Whitefleld  preach  to  sinners  like  ourselves.  I  want 
to  know  what  he  says  to  the  common  herd.  Go 
to  Moorfields  for  me.  Find  out  how  Mr.  Whitefield 
looks  there  ;  what  he  says,  how  he  says  it  ;  what  kind 
of  people  listen  to  him,  and  how  they  take  the  dreadful 
things  he  is  sure  to  say." 

"  I  will  go  at  the  first  opportunity  ;  though  I  must 
own  I  am  most  indisposed  that  way." 

"  I  thought  you  admired  the  preacher  ? " 

"  A  man  may  change  his  opinions." 

"  Yes,  if  he  be  a  shuttlecock  of  a  man,  tossed  by 
every  hand  and  driven  by  every  wind.  In  plain  truth, 
will  you  go  for  me  ?  " 

"  In  plain  truth,  I  will  go." 

"  I  am,  then,  your  humble  servant  for  the  courtesy. 
Let  us  now  see  what  new  slander  is  on.  Mrs.  Wil- 
loughby  is  all  chastity  and  odour,  but  she  makes  no 
more  of  a  woman's  character  than  a  mower  does  of 
the  grass.  Oh  ! "  she  cried,  with  a  contemptuous 
shrug,  "  oh,  the  pious  friendships  of  the  female  sex  !  " 

This  arrangement  with  Lord  Rashleigh  did  Bernicia 
more  good  than  the  cinnamon  water  she  sipped  as  she 
made  it.  She  was  really  anxious  to  discover  if  George 


96  BERNICIA. 

Whitefield  preached  the  same  doctrines  to  princes  and 
to  beggars  ;  if  he  spoke  as  eloquently  in  the  fields  as 
in  the  drawing-room  ;  if  the  souls  of  those  clothed  in 
rags  and  those  clothed  in  purple  and  fine  linen  were 
of  equal  value  in  his  sight  ;  in  short,  whether  the 
Gospel  preached  in  Park  Street  and  the  Gospel 
preached  in  Moorfields  was  the  same  Gospel.  If 
there  was  any  shortcoming  in  Whitefield  in  this  re 
spect,  she  felt  certain  his  words  would  no  longer 
trouble  her.  She  would  assure  her  heart  they  were 
only  clever  words,  and  the  sermon  under  which  she 
had  trembled  merely  a  Sabbath  day  tragedy. 


CHAPTER   V. 

HARRY'S  RETURN. 

IT  was  now  June,  but  Lady  Pomfret  still  lingered  in 
town.  She  said  she  had  an  ailing,  and  required  her 
London  physician  ;  that  her  mantua-maker  had  not 
finished  her  new  negligt,  and  that  it  was  impossible 
for  her  to  go  to  the  country  without  it.  But  the  real 
cause  of  her  delay  was  her  brother.  She  wished  to 
be  in  London  when  he  arrived,  and  she  regarded  the 
absence  of  the  gay  world  as  extremely  favourable. 
Lady  Chesterfield  and  Mrs.  Greenfield — from  whose 
influence  she  hoped  most — were  both  with  the  court ; 
the  general  busybodies  were  scattered,  and  the  court 
itself  in  unusual  good  temper  over  the  peace  of  Aix- 
la-Chapelle,  the  preliminaries  to  which  had  already 
been  signed.  As  one  of  the  terms  of  this  peace  was 
an  absolute  renouncement  of  the  claims  of  the  Stuarts 
by  all  the  great  European  powers,  mere  individual 
partisanship  was  become  a  thing  too  small  for  state 
notice,  and  Lady  Pomfret  rightly  conceived  that  the 
very  nick  of  time  had  come  for  the  king's  clemency, 
if  only  Harry  was  fortunate  enough  to  catch  it. 

Her  "  ailing  "  was  fortunately  not  so  severe  as  to 
hinder  her  usual  gaieties,  and  there  were  yet  balls 
and  operas,  water  excursions,  and  musical  parties  to 
keep  her  dressing.  But  Bernicia  showed  the  anxiety 
Lady  Pomfret  only  felt.  She  was  angry  at  George 
and  also  at  Harry.  She  thought  they  might  have 

97 


98  BERNICIA. 

sent  a  letter.  She  was  sure  they  might  have  been 
in  London  ;  a  particle  of  common  sense  would  have 
taught  both  of  them  that  it  was  now  neck  or  nothing 
with  Harry's  cause.  Such  was  her  conversation  with 
her  sister  and  with  Tarset,  though  perhaps  if  the 
spring  of  it  had  been  analyzed,  this  overflow  called 
"  Harry "  would  have  been  found  to  contain  many 
other  elements. 

One  evening  Lady  Pomfret  had  a  dinner  party,  and 
Bernicia  was  talking  merrily  with  Mr.  Horace  Wai- 
pole.  This  gentleman  had  the  whim  of  reproaching 
the  world  for  doing  nothing,  and  was  indulging  it  to 
his  new  auditor : 

"  The  wonderful  is  worn  out,  Miss  Cresswell,"  he 
said,  aslie  stroked  his  ruffles  and  looked  upward  ;  "  we 
have  no  elopements,  and  no  plots,  and  the  sun  and 
the  moon  go  on  as  they  always  do,  and  we  are  in  such 
a  state  of  sameness  that  I  wonder  at  the  change  of 
of  the  seasons." 

"  There  is  the  new  peace,  Mr.  Walpole,"  answered 
Bernicia,  "  and  His  Grace  of  Newcastle's  antics  about 
it.  I  have  heard  that  he  will  certainly  carry  his 
chairs  and  tables  with  him  into  Hanover,  not  believing 
that  they  exist  anywhere  out  of  England.  And  again, 
there  are  a  thousand  wagers  that  he  will  fall  danger 
ously  ill,  rather  than  go  at  all.  I  am  sure,  Mr.  Wal 
pole,  the  '  peace  '  is  new  and  very  amusing." 

"  It  might  be,  if  it  progressed  with  more  rapidity. 
But  we  make  peace  as  slowly  as  we  make  war.  So  I, 
who  would  wish  to  ride  on  the  whirlwind,  am  com 
pelled  to  endure  the  yawns  of  the  age.  Were  you  at  the 
Stanhope  ball  ?  And  when  will  you  honour  my  little 
villa  ?  It  is  rather  a  pretty  place,  I  assure  you." 


HARRY  S    RETURN.  99 

"  Indeed,  sir,  I  have  heard  as  much." 
"Have  you  seen  the  town  and  all  its  wonders?" 
"  I  am  weary  of  the  town  and  all  its  wonders." 
"And  of  the  great  men,  who  think  the  age  will  be 
called  after  them  ?  " 

"  I  have  seen  them  all — from  the  king  to  Mr.  White- 
field." 

"  Mr.  Whitefield,  indeed  !  A  low,  presumptuous 
fellow  !  He  has  turned  the  world  upside  down,  only 
because  it  is  such  a  silly  world." 

"  I  think  Mr.  Whitefield  is  almost  a  prophet,  sir/* 
"  He  may  have   the   ignorance  of  one,  but   he   is 
without  the  inspiration." 

"  Indeed,  I  think  he  is  a  miracle  of  nature.  He  has 
powers  that  dart  from  earth  to  heaven  in  a  moment. 
If  you  could  ride  on  Mr.  Whitefield's  whirlwind,  it 
might  be  better  than  enduring  the  yawns  of  the  age." 
"Very  good,  Miss  Cresswell.  Shall  we  dance? 
Or  will  you  play  brag  ?  Or  walk  in  the  garden  until 
the  tables  are  laid  ?  Show  me  how  to  be  civil  enough 
to  you." 

"  We  will  sit  here  by  the  window,  and  you  shall  tell 
me  of  your  travels." 

"Pray  ask  my  pardon  for  setting  me  on  such  a 
theme.  I  am  now  mad  about  England,  and  have  for 
sworn  all  travelling  in  foreign  lands.  Do  you  know, 
Mr.  Sterne  thinks  King  David's  desire  for  his  enemies 
to  be  made  '  like  unto  a  wheel '  was  a  bitter  sarcasm 
against  the  spirit  of  travelling,  which  the  Jewish 
monarch  foresaw  would  haunt  the  children  of  men  in 
the  latter  days — the  most  severe  imprecation  he  could 
think  of,  against  those  who  hated  him  ;  as  if  he  had 
said,  I  wish  them  no  worse  luck  than  to  be  always 


100  BERNICIA. 

rolling   about,    always   in    motion,    therefore    always 
miserable   and   unquiet." 

Bernicia  laughed,  and  Mr.  Walpole  laughed,  and 
there  was  a  general  movement  toward  the  adjoining 
parlours.  Some  of  the  ladies  sat  down  to  whist  or 
silver  faro,  and  some  began  to  choose  partners  for  a 
dance.  The  murmur  of  conversation  mingled  with 
the  tuning  of  violins,  the  tapping  of  heels,  and  the 
movement  of  chairs  upon  the  polished  floor,  and  amid 
this  pleasant  confusion  Lord  Pomfret  and  a  few 
gentlemen  slipped  away  to  an  inner  room,  where  they 
could  indulge  their  passion  for  quinze  and  deep 
basset  without  fear  of  molestation.  But  Bernicia  sat 
with  Mr.  Walpole  at  the  open  window,  and  Lord 
Rashleigh  watched  them,  and  fretted  himself  into 
a  fever  of  jealousy.  Suddenly  Jackanapes  touched 
Bernicia,  and  she  turned  with  a  smile  and  asked  : 
"  What  do  you  want,  sirrah  ?  " 
"  There  is  someone  to  see  Miss  Cresswell." 
But  even  while  Jackanapes  was  speaking,  the  door 
opened  and  a  young  man  entered  the  room.  Quick 
as  a  thought  Bernicia  saw  him.  "  Ten  thousand 
pardons,  Mr.  Walpole  !  "  she  exclaimed,  and  the  next 
moment  she  had  taken  the  stranger's  hands,  and  her 
whole  air  and  attitude  was  that  of  a  caress. 

"  She  would  have  kissed  the  fellow  had  she  met 
him  alone,"  thought  Mr.  Walpole.  "  She  did  kiss 
him  in  intent,  and  if  he  has  any  of  his  senses  he  must 
know  it.  I  thought  she  was  fresh  and  fancy  free — so 
there  goes  another  dream." 

While  these  thoughts  were  in  his  mind  he  witnessed 
a  similar  enthusiasm  in  Lady  Pomfret's  greeting ;  and 
then  Bernicia  and  the  stranger  left  the  room  together. 


HARRY  S    RETtJRtt.  lOf 

So  Mr.  Walpole,  who  had  been  slowly  sauntering 
toward  the  group,  turned  back  to  his  place  at  the 
window.  Lord  Rashleigh  arrested  him. 

"  Since  you  are  deserted  by  Beauty,  sir,  will  you 
tempt  Fortune  with  me  ?  "  he  asked. 

The  cynical  courtier  dropped  his  eyes  and  answered 
with  a  slight  smile,  "Alas,  my  lord,  my  means  are 
not  equal  to  your  skill !  To-night  I  have  foresworn 
cards." 

"  Know  you  anything  new  of  the  peace,  sir  ? " 

"  I  have  nothing  to  tell,  and  am  glad  of  it." 

"  Then  we  may  forgive  history  for  knowing  nothing, 
since  even  Mr.  Walpole  no  longer  prophesies  or 
relates.  Still  I  will  ask  you,  by  what  good  luck,  or 
good  quality,  do  the  Pelhams  hoodwink  the  nation 
so  far?" 

"  I  set  myself  no  such  riddling.  The  infatuation  of 
a  nation  for  foolish  ministers  is  very  like  that  of  a  man 
for  an  ugly  woman.  When  once  the  eyes  are  opened, 
the  question  is,  What  devil  bewitched  us  ?  " 

"  It  is  said  you  are  entirely  dissatisfied  with  public 
affairs  and  will  therefore  leave  England." 

"  A  thousand  falsities  are  abroad." 

"And  the  son  of  Sir  Robert  Walpole  must  love 
England  ?  " 

"  He  would,  if  it  were  not  for  Englishmen." 

"  Sir,  such  opinions  will  not  add  to  your  popularity." 

"As  I  am  indifferent  to  popularity  and  content 
with  my  fortune,  the  naked  truth  is  good  enough  for 
me.  Those  who  wish  to  be  exalted  may  lie  and 
prosper." 

"  Indeed,  Mr.  Walpole,  you  have  a  reputation  for 
telling  snarling,  odious  truths,  and  I  will  not  tempt 


104  BERNICIA. 

France  ?  No.  In  Italy  ?  No.  Have  I  played  with 
him  ?  Drank  with  him  ?  Travelled  with  him  ?  No. 
No.  No.  Yet  I  have  seen  him  before.  Where  have 
I  seen  him?" 

His  sword  lay  on  the  table.  He  stretched  out  his 
hand  and  grasped  it.  A  faint  smile  answered  the 
touch,  and  he  assured  himself  that,  come  what  might, 
he  had  a  friend  that  would  permit  no  one  to  interfere 
with  his  claims  or  tamper  with  his  honour. 

Had  he  known  that  the  stranger  was  Bernicia's 
brother  he  would  doubtless  have  regretted  so  great 
a  waste  of  feeling.  And  yet  it  was  not  waste  ;  for 
right  or  wrong  it  is  well  for  every  soul  sometimes  to 
touch  the  bottom  of  its  nature,  and  so  the  experi 
ence,  though  it  came  from  a  false  estimate  of  condi 
tions,  revealed  Lord  Rashleigh  to  Lord  Rashleigh  with 
a  startling  distinctness.  As  the  selfish  tumult  sub 
sided,  he  suddenly  became  aware  that  Bernicia  had 
slipped  from  his  mind,  and  that  without  intent  or 
apparent  cause  George  Whitefield  had  taken  posses 
sion  of  him.  Clearer  than  actuality  was  the  seraphic 
face  and  the  silvery  tones  of  the  preacher.  And  the 
words  he  had  said  came  back  to  his  memory  and 
beat  upon  his  conscience  like  the  blows  of  a  hammer 
on  the  anvil.  He  almost  feared  to  raise  his  eyes 
lest  he  should  see — as  he  had  once  been  made  to 
see — the  piteous  Cross  and  its  Divine  Sufferer  in  the 
shadows  of  the  room.  "  I  must  sleep,"  he  muttered. 
"I  must  forget.  This  girl  is  driving  me  to  distrac 
tion." 

At  the  same  hour  the  innocent  cause  of  this  mental 
tumult  was  sitting  with  his  sisters  in  Lady  Pomfret's 
room.  He  had  eaten  and  refreshed  himself  and  was 


HARRY  S   RETURN.  105 

enjoying  to  the  uttermost  the  almost  forgotten  delight 
of  sympathetic  conversation. 

"  We  may  talk  to  our  heart's  content  now,"  said 
Lady  Pomfret.  "  It  is  past  midnight  and  all  are  gone 
but  the  gentlemen  who  are  at  play  with  Lord  John." 

"  And  they,"  said  Bernicia,  "  will  shake  their  elbows 
and  throw  dice  until  their  purses  or  their  senses  fail 
them.  Harry,  are  you  not  glad  to  be  in  England 
again  ? " 

"Put  it  to  yourself,  Bernicia.  When  Cousin  George 
walked  into  my  poor  room  one  morning  I  had  nothing 
left ;  money,  faith,  hope,  friends  were  at  an  end.  George 
came  in  the  very  nick  of  time,  for  I  was  as  far  out  of 
heart  as  a  man  could  be.  He  gave  me  hope,  he  fed 
and  clothed  me,  he  put  gold  in  my  purse,  and  he  did 
all  with  so  much  of  brotherhood  that  I  had  no  sense 
of  aught  but  loving  kindness  in  the  service.  So  I 
took  heart  again  and  came  back  to  England  and  to 
you.  When  a  man  has  such  sisters  and  such  kindred 
he  wishes  to  live." 

It  was  not  to  be  expected,  however,  that  much  wise 
counsel  could  be  taken  in  the  first  hours  of  such  a  re 
union.  Allan  Cresswell's  designs,  the  likelihood  of 
the  king's  clemency,  the  best  methods  of  obtaining 
it,  the  necessity  for  Harry  to  remain  incognita  until 
the  decisive  act  was  ripe  for  execution,  all  these  topics 
were  superficially  discussed.  The  next  evident  ques 
tion  was  the  position  Lord  Pomfret  would  be  likely 
to  take.  He  might  seriously  object  to  Harry's  pres 
ence  in  his  house,  and  Lady  Pomfret  thought,  in  such 
case,  it  would  be  well  to  regard  his  prejudices,  the 
more  so,  as  he  would  then  feel  obliged  to  grant  more 
vital  favours. 


106  BERNICIA. 

"I  think  Lord  Rashleigh  would  give  Harry  privacy/' 
said  Bernicia,  "  and  if  not,  there  is  grandmother." 

"Grandmother  is  a  very  hard  old  woman,"  answered 
Lady  Pomfret.  "  If  Harry  has  to  go  to  Bloomsbury 
Square,  he  had  better  go  to  Uncle  William  at  once." 

"  Not  so,"  asserted  Bernicia  positively.  "  Uncle 
William  puts  his  principles  above  his  feelings.  Grand 
mother  can  be  moved  to  send  her  principles  packing. 
Faith,  I  am  sure  of  it." 

"  If  I  could  remain  with  my  own  people  I  should 
like  it  best,"  said  Harry.  "  If  not,  a  room  in  some 
private  lodging." 

"  A  private  lodging  would  be  a  dangerous  one. 
Cousin  Allan  is  doubtless  watching,  and  in  any  dis 
guise  he  would  recognize  you.  But  he  will  not  sus 
pect  your  presence  with  Lord  Rashleigh,  nor  yet  in 
such  a  Whiggery  as  Uncle's  William's  residence." 

"  How  long  is  this  uncertainty  to  last  ?  If  Lord 
Pomfret  can  but  get  me  access  to  the  Presence,  I  will 
throw  myself  at  the  king's  feet  and  take  whatever 
punishment  he  is  disposed  to  give  me." 

"  You  will  throw  everything  away  by  such  hurry. 
Lady  Chesterfield — who  is  the  king's  natural  sister — 
turns  him  to  her  wish  very  easily.  At  present,  she  is 
bringing  to  the  royal  closet  a  very  famous  preacher,  who 
is  moving  the  king  and  the  queen  to  religious  things, 
a  circumstance  very  favourable  to  you.  But  I  must 
find  the  right  hour  to  speak  to  Lady  Chesterfield, 
and  this  may  be  to-morrow  or  it  may  be  a  month 
hence.  Come,  let  us  say  good-night.  It  is  high 
time  we  were  asleep,  if  we  purpose  anything  for  to 
morrow." 

The  next  day  it  was  noon  ere  Lady  Pomfret  met 


HARRY'S  RETURN.  107 

her  husband.  Both  had  breakfasted  alone,  and  Lord 
Pomfret  was  ready  for  a  visit  to  the  palace,  where  he 
had  important  business.  He  came  fully  dressed  into 
his  wife's  room,  his  swarthy  face  as  ruddy,  his  eyes  as 
bright,  his  wig  as  elaborately  curled,  his  velvet  and 
lace  as  spotless  as  if  he  had  been  sleeping  and  dress 
ing,  irfstead  of  gambling  during  the  livelong  night. 
Lady  Pomfret  affected  an  unusual  attitude.  She  lay 
in  her  white  mull  negligt  with  closed  eyes  upon  her 
couch.  Her  fine  hair  was  undressed  and  an  air  of 
becoming  lassitude  lent  a  rare  charm  to  her  person 
ality.  She  stretched  out  her  arms  with  the  prettiest 
languors  to  her  husband,  and  he  was  all  sympathy  and 
caresses  to  answer  them. 

"Are  you  obliged  to  leave  me?"  she  asked.  "I 
vow  I  am  weary  of  all  the  world  but  you,  John.  And 
I  am  so  worried,  I  have  not  shut  my  eyes  all  night. 
Indeed,  my  love,  I  am  at  my  wits'  end." 

"  Then  let  me  tell  you,  Fanny,  that  I  have  all  my 
wits  about  me.  I  have  held  trumps  all  night,  and  if 
it  is  money,  I  will  not  see  you  pale  for  a  thousand." 

"  You  are  good  beyond  everything,  John.  It  is  not 
money." 

"  Did  you  quarrel  with  the  great  duchess  last  night, 
or  did  Mr.  Walpole  make  an  epigram  about  you  ? 
Tell  me  the  trouble,  and  I  will  blow  it  to  the  four 
winds  of  heaven." 

*  'Tis  my  brother  Harry.  He  has  lost  his  senses,  I 
think.  He  has  come  back  to  England,  and  he  vows 
the  king  may  have  his  estate  and  his  head,  if  he  will 
only  give  him  a  grave  in  his  native  land.  He  is  far 
gone  every  way.  He  is  distracted.  Don't  look  so 
angry,  John.  If  you  bite  your  lips  and  knit  your 


108  BERNICIA. 

brows  I  shall  go  into  a  syncope.  I  am  now  ill.  I  am 
fainting.  Call  my  woman.  Oh  !  oh  !  oh  !  " 

"  Fanny  !  Fanny  !  adorable  Fanny  !  Great  Heaven  ! 
she  is  dying  !  Fanny,  speak  to  me  !  Look  at  me. 
You  know  I  will  stand  by  you,  through  everything." 

"  Poor  Harry  !  He  will  be  beheaded.  He  says  he 
wants  to  be  beheaded.  He  is  so  tired  of  life." 

"Fiddlesticks!  The  king  dare  not  behead  him.  He 
Joes  not  even  want  to  behead  him." 

"  I  cannot  turn  my  own,  my  only  brother  into  the 
streets.  I — can — not — do — it." 

"  And  I  cannot  have  the  foolish  young  man  in  my 
house.  My  enemies  would  put  me  in  the  Tower  on  it. 
I  mean  they  would  howl  me  out  of  office." 

"  I  know,  John.  It  is  not  right  that  you  should  be 
annoyed.  Perhaps  Rashleigh,  if  you  asked  him " 

"  Rashleigh  is  my  friend,  Fanny." 

"  And  'tis  a  point  of  honour  to  consider  your  friend's 
safety.  Harry  is  only  my  brother.  However,  there  is 
Grandmother  Bouverie." 

"  Now  your  senses  are  coming  back,  Fanny.  Madame 
Bouverie  is  the  proper  person.  Let  Harry  go  to 
Bloomsbury  Square.  William  Bouverie  is  such  a  well 
known  Whig  that  nothing  worse  than  a  fine  could 
come  to  him,  even  if  your  brother  was  found  there.  I 
wonder  what  the  young  man  proposes  in  coming  back  ? 
For  my  own  part  I  am  sorry  to  know  it.  I  wish  he 
was  in  France.  I  wish  he  was  at  the  ends  of  the  earth!  " 

"John!" 

11 1  do.  I  do,  indeed  !  He  has  made  you  ill,  and  he 
has  flustered  me  out  of  all  my  calculations.  Why  did 
he  come  to  my  house  ?  I  have  neither  the  mind  nor 
the  time  to  be  whistled  here  and  there  on  his  affairs." 


HARRY'S  RETURN.  109 

"  Of  course  you  have  neither  mind  nor  time  to 
pleasure  me.  The  great  duke  waits  for  you.  The  king 
is  crying,  Where  is  my  Lord  Pomfret  ?  Where  is  he  ? 
Where  is  he  ?  London  is  speechless.  England  is 
breathless.  The  peace  is  waiting  at  Aix-la-Chapelle 
for  your  nod.  I  am  nobody  ;  I  am  nothing  but  a  poor 
sorrowful,  unloved,  troublesome  wife." 

Then  she  closed  her  eyes,  and  her  pretty  form  shook 
with  passionate  sobs. 

With  a  heart  divided  between  love  and  anger,  Lord 
Pomfret  was  seriously  annoyed  and  distressed. 

"  My  dearest  creature,"  he  said,  "  you  are  as  cruel  as 
you  are  lovely  and  unreasonable.  But  if  it  is  your  will, 
and  the  thing  is  feasable  and  able  to  be  brought  to 
pass,  I  will  see  what  I  can  do  in  your  brother's  affairs. 
Cease  weeping  ;  you  know  right  well  that  every  sob  is 
like  a  sword-thrust  to  me." 

She  only  sobbed  the  more  distractedly,  and  Lord 
Pomfret  finally  went  away.  Truly  he  went  with  kisses 
and  promises,  and  many  adoring  words,  but  it  was  a 
mood  he  cast  off  with  an  impatient  Tush  !  as  soon  as 
the  door  was  closed,  and  which  easily  slipped  into 
such  forcible  exclamations  as  to  strike  his  coachman 
dumb. 

From  a  corner  of  the  window  Lady  Pomfret  watched 
this  exhibition  of  feeling.  She  thoroughly  understood 
it,  and  went  to  her  morning-room  with  the  conviction 
that  it  would  not  be  prudent  to  try  Lord  John's  affec 
tion  further.  She  had  a  sense  of  failure.  Bernicia, 
who  had  risen  late,  was  just  eating  her  breakfast,  and 
the  blending  aromas  of  chocolate  and  buttered 
crumpets  was  refreshing  and  appetizing. 

"  I  think  I  will  have  a  cup,  Tarset,"  said  Lady  Pom- 


110  BERNICIA. 

fret,  and  then  turning  to  Bernicia,  "  I  have  been  forced 
to  endure  one  of  Lord  Pomfret's  tantrums  this  morn 
ing,  and  they  always  wear  me  out.  Where  is  Harry  ? 
It  was  about  his  affairs." 

"  Harry  is  yet  asleep.  How  went  his  affairs  with 
Lord  John  ?  " 

"  They  did  not  go  an  inch.  And  I  can  do  nothing 
while  Harry  is  in  this  house,  for  his  presence  irritates 
beyond  endurance.  My  astrologer  told  me  that  there 
were  malicious  conjunctions  in  the  third  house  of  my 
nativity,  which  would  bring  me  trouble  through  my 
kindred  ;  and  I  suppose  I  may  thank  my  stars  for  the 
blunders  I  have  made  this  morning.  If  I  had  begged 
John  in  my  usual  way,  with  kisses  and  smiles,  he  was 
in  a  humour  to  have  given  me  anything  I  asked  for.  I 
hope  I  may  be  whipped  if  I  try  crying  again.  Put  on 
your  white  and  yellow  lutestring,  Bernicia,  for  if  Lord 
Rashleigh  comes  this  morning  with  his  usual  civilities, 
it  might  be  well " 

"  To  ask  his  help.  Faith,  I  will  give  him  the  oppor 
tunity  he  is  ever  praying  for,  to  be  of  some  service  to 
me.  But  I  do  not  think  I  can  flatter  him  to  our  will. 
He  was  in  a  perilous  passion  with  me  last  night  I 
could  feel  it  across  the  room." 

"  It  was  your  own  fault.  Was  there  no  one  to  flaunt 
him  for,  but  that  finnicky  Mr.  Walpole  ?  You  know 
already  that  Rashleigh  detests  him.  Why  are  you  so 
silly,  so  provoking,  so  everything  no  one  wants  you 
to  be  ? " 

"  Pray  what  is  wrong  with  Mr.  Walpole  ?  " 

"  Pray  who  are  the  Walpoles  now  ?  They  are  out 
of  court  and  out  of  favour.  And  this  Mr.  Horace  Wal 
pole  is  a  younger  son,  a  fancier  of  curiosities  and  such 


HARRY  S    RETURN.  Ill 

childish  things  !  Imagine  any  sane  man  buying  old 
coins,  when  he  ought  to  be  securing  those  of  his  pres 
ent  Majesty.  I  have  heard  that  he  gave  three 
Georgian  guineas  for  a  battered  silver  piece  of  some 
old  Roman  emperor.  What  pitiable  folly  !  Besides  he 
is  not  a  marrying  man.  He  loves  Horace  Walpole  too 
well  to  love  any  woman  better." 

"  That  is  easily  seen  and  believed.  Old  bachelor  is 
writ  all  over  him,  and  in  capital  letters  too." 

"  Now,  if  you  have  finished  your  chocolate,  go  and 
make  yourself  a  little  more  bespeaking.  The  white 
and  yellow  lutestring  is  the  very  thing.  Let  me  see 
how  pretty  you  look  when  you  have  put  it  on." 

But  Lord  Rashleigh  called  before  the  toilet  was 
finished,  and  so  Bernicia  went  to  the  parlour  from  her 
mirror.  Being  well  pleased  with  herself,  and  having 
met  no  one  to  modify  her  satisfaction,  she  entered  her 
lover's  presence  in  a  temper  to  which  his  air  of  injury 
was  extremely  irritating.  Two  attitudes  were  possible 
under  such  conditions,  she  could  be  haughty  and 
indifferent  ;  or  she  could  be  conciliating  and  provoke 
explanations.  And  as  she  wished  to  influence  her 
lover,  she  choose  the  latter  course. 

"  Did  you  remain  late  last  evening  ? "  she  said. 
"  Did  you  dance  ?  Did  you  play  ?  How  went  the 
hours  after  I  left  the  room  ?  Or  perhaps  you  were 
not  aware  of  my  absence." 

"  I  saw  you  leave  the  room.  You  were  strangely 
glad  to  do  so.  You  had  a  visitor,  apparently  a  very 
dear  one." 

"  Indeed,  you  know  not  how  dear.  And  I  was  glad 
to  leave  the  room.  Do  you  think  that  a  miracle  ? 
Mr.  Walpole  is  charming,  but  he  has  so  many  clever 


112  BERNICIA. 

things  to  say  that  I  felt  a  very  fool  in  his  presence.  I 
was  very  thankful  to  be  interrupted." 

"  And  by  so  handsome  a  claimant  on  your  atten 
tion." 

"  Yes,  Harry  is  handsome  and  brave  and  honourable. 
I  wish  that  you  knew  him  well.  You  would  love  him 
as  I  do." 

"  I  already  hate  him  !  " 

"You  are  very  uncivil  to  me." 

"  I  have  good  reason  to  be  uncivil  to  you,  Miss 
Cresswell.  You  deceive  me  !  You  have  been  deceiv 
ing  me  ever  since  I  knew  you  !  I  am  sure  of  it." 

"  Faith,  I  was  just  going  to  give  you  my  dearest 
confidence.  I  was  just  going  to  tell  you  all  about 
poor  Harry, — how  much  he  needs  a  friend  and  a  shel 
ter,  for  he  is  in  some  danger  for  his  political  opin 
ions, — and  I  had  hoped  that,  for  my  sake,  you  would 
find  him  secrecy  until  his  matters  could  be  arranged." 

"  You  hope  too  much.  I  receive  too  small  favour 
from  you  myself  to  endure  the  thought  of  any  other 
man  being  the  object  of  your  solicitude.  By  Heaven  ! 
I  would  rather  kill  him  than  shelter  him  !  And  if  this 
is  the  extent  of  your  confidence,  I  most  flatly  dis 
pense  with  it." 

"  You  are  impertinent,  sir  !  And  I  think  you  very 
willingly  misunderstand  me." 

"Your  servant,  Miss  Cresswell.  I  will  not  trespass 
longer  on  time  so  plainly  not  my  time." 

"  But,  my  lord,  let  me  explain.  Do  you  imagine 
the  stranger  to  be  my  lover  ?  Do  you  think " 

The  questions  were  lost  in  the  clash  of  the  door, 
which  Rashleigh  shut  with  so  much  temper  as  to  com 
pletely  drown  Bernicia's  voice.  She  was  indignant, 


HARRYS   RETURN.  113 

and  she  stamped  her  foot  passionately  as  she  ex 
claimed  : 

"  Go  !  I  am  glad  to  see  you  go.  By  all  that  is 
good,  I  would  not  willingly  owe  you  a  cherry  stone  ! 
George  Abney  is  worth  a  score  of  such  servants." 

Indeed,  her  first  feeling  was  one  of  relief,  and  not 
of  disappointment.  She  ran,  she  rather  danced,  along 
the  corridor  to  her  sister's  presence,  and,  entering  it 
in  a  glow  of  satisfaction,  said  : 

"  Here  is  a  miracle  of  ingratitude  !  Rashleigh,  in 
spite  of  our  favour,  has  gone  away  in  a  rage  at  my 
proposition.  He  pretended  a  fit  of  jealousy  to  excuse 
his  rudeness.  Never  tell  me  romances  about  love. 
Love  is  now  become  a  worldly-wise  little  god,  and 
follows  after  Fortune." 

"I  am  sorry  Lord  Rashleigh  has  disappointed 
us." 

"  Not  I.  Had  he  obliged  us  in  Harry's  affair  he 
would  have  stretched  a  claim  for  my  generosity  on  it ; 
and,  if  it  comes  to  speaking  truly,  I  have  no  mind  to 
dance  to  his  piping." 

"  But  what  is  to  be  done  ?  Lord  Pomfret  will  be 
home  early,  and  will  doubtless  be  sulking  after  a 
spoiled  day.  There  could  be  no  worse  hour  to  bring 
Harry  again  to  his  notice." 

"  I  will  go  with  Harry  to  Bloomsbury  this  afternoon. 
For  grandmother  is  not  to  be  taken  with  formal  ap 
proaches  ;  she  must  be  made  to  surrender  at  once. 
Order  the  coach,  Fanny,  and  write  a  letter  to  Cousin 
George  ;  for  even  if  one  lacks  gratitude,  politeness  is 
not  so  very  unfashionable." 

"  Say  for  me  whatever  you  think  civil  and  proper. 
But  I  hope  for  no  good  from  either  William  or 


114  BERNICIA. 

Madame  Bouverie.     Suppose  grandmother  entirely  re 
fuses  Harry's  claim  upon  her  ?  " 

u  Suppose  she  takes  a  distracting  fancy  to  him  ? 
We  may  as  well  suppose  one  thing  as  another  ;  for  no 
plan  is  worth  a  finger-snap  until  we  have  put  it  to  the 
test.  So  warn  Harry  and  order  the  coach,  and  I  will 
begin  the  attack  on  grandmother.  How  it  will  end 
nobody  knows." 

Bernicia's  hurry  was  not  an  inconsiderate  impulse. 
She  wished  to  catch  the  hour  before  dinner,  when 
madame  would,  in  all  probability,  be  alone.  She 
thought  this  private  introduction  best  for  Harry's 
case  ;  and,  though  she  was  no  coward  personally,  she 
preferred  it  to  an  entry  with  her  brother  when  the 
whole  Bouverie  household  would  be  present. 

As  she  anticipated,  she  found  madame  alone,  and 
resting  both  from  thought  and  labour.  Her  knitting 
had  fallen  from  her  hands  and  her  eyes  were  closed. 
Harry  looked  at  her  a  moment,  and  his  heart  over 
flowed.  Old  she  might  be,  but  she  was  old  just  as  his 
beloved  mother  would  have  become  old.  In  that 
moment  she  became  dearer  to  him  than  any  other 
woman.  He  did  not  need  the  assuring  look  in 
Bernicia's  eyes.  He  stepped  forward  rapidly  and 
dropped  on  one  knee  at  her  side.  He  took  her  thin 
hands  captive  in  his  young  strong  ones  and  said  in 
a  voice  musical  with  love  : 

"  Grandmother  !  " 

She  heard  the  word.  She  knew  the  voice.  It  was 
the  voice  of  her  long  lost  Frances.  With  a  start  she 
sat  upright,  and  her  eyes  fell  upon  the  handsome 
youth  watching  her.  She  saw  that  there  were  tears  in 
the  eyes  so  like  her  own.  She  saw  loving  messages 


HARRY'S  RETURN.  115 

from  the  dead  in  that  strange,  yet  familiar,  face. 
For  a  moment  she  looked  into  it  with  wonder,  with 
reluctance  even  ; *  then,  like  a  flash,  the  tide  of  ever 
lasting  mother-love  rushed  into  her  heart.  Smiles 
parted  her  stern  lips  ;  she  threw  her  arms  around  the 
young  man's  neck  and  kissed  him.  It  was  as  if  a 
dead  woman  had  come  back  to  life.  And  madame 
herself  was  conscious  of  some  marvellous  resurrec 
tion  of  feeling  ;  for  never,  since  Dr.  Doddridge  had 
taught  her  in  her  old  age  to  sing  the  name  of  Jesus, 
had  she  felt  the  glow  and  glory  of  such  happiness  as 
she  now  experienced. 

"  Harry  Cresswell  !  "  she  said  softly,  as  she  kissed, 
and  then  again  kissed  him,  "I  know  you.  You  are 
your  mother's  very  son.  Kiss  me  for  my  poor  dead 
Frances." 

The  tears  of  the  aged  are  cold  and  slow,  but 
madame  wept  as  freely  as  any  young  mother  over 
a  recovered  child.  And  while  this  gracious  overflow 
softened  and  charmed  the  old  woman,  Bernicia  spoke 
for  her  brother.  She  told  madame  everything,  even 
to  the  part  George  had  taken  in  bringing  home  the 
exile  ;  and  madame  responded  with  the  very  satis 
factory  inquiry  : 

"  What  can  be  done  for  Harry,  and  how  can  I  help 
him  ? " 

"  You  must  shelter  him,  grandmother,"  said  Ber 
nicia,  "  until  the  king  can  be  spoken  to.  Lady  Ches 
terfield  can  save  both  Harry's  life  and  his  estate,  if  she 
can  be  moved  to  take  an  interest  in  him." 

"  And  if  what  I  have  heard  be  correct,  George 
Whitefield  can  move  her  to  take  such  an  interest." 

"  That  is  beyond  a  doubt." 


Il6  BERNICIA. 

"  Then  we  must  move  George  Whitefield.  A 
straight  road  is  the  nearest  road." 

At  this  point  Bernicia  thought  Harry  might  safely 
be  left  with  madame.  She  was  anxious  to  tell  Claire, 
and  she  ran  swiftly  upstairs,  crying  "  Claire  !  Claire  ! 
Sweet  Claire  !  Harry  is  in  the  parlour.  Come  and  see 
him.  Let  me  tell  you  he  has  taken  grandmother 
captive  with  a  look  and  a  word.  Oh,  'tis  wonderful ! 
'Tis  past  all  knowledge  !  Put  on  your  blue  ribbons 
and  your  amber  ornaments.  Your  gown  is  without 
fault.  It  is  like  a  white  cloud  ;  but  do  pray  hurry  a 
little  with  your  dressing." 

"  I  have  already  finished  dressing." 

"  But  your  ornaments  ?     Your  bows  and  baubles  ? " 

"  I  do  not  intend  to  wear  them.  I  have  some 
scruples  about  them.  They  are  a  mere  vanity — a 
pampering  of  my  pride." 

"  If  it  comes  to  that,  why  wear  buckles  on  your 
shoes  ?  or  clocks  on  your  stockings  ?  Why  wear 
ruffles  on  your  palerine  ?  Ruffles  are  a  great  pamper 
ing  of  vanity  !  And  how  very  thoughtless  it  was  of 
the  Creator  to  pamper  the  rose-brier,  and  let  it  wear 
roses  !  And  surely  He  ought  not  to  let  the  grass  be 
bespangled  with  buttercups  and  daisies !  And  what 
do  you  think  of  those  pampered  birds  who  are  per 
mitted  to  wear  bright  scarlet  and  blue  and  yellow  vests 
and  top-knots?  Here  is  your  amber,  Claire.  How 
thankful  you  ought  to  be  for  a  guardian  who  trades 
with  the  Baltic.  Such  amber  can  only  have  come  that 
way.  It  is  like  solid  sunshine.  Now  I  am  sure  that  to 
possess  amber  like  solid  sunshine,  and  not  to  wear 
it,  is  a  great  ingratitude  to  the  Giver  of  all  good  and 
lovely  things." 


HARRY'S  RETURN.  117 

"  You  may  be  right,  Bernicia.  And  yet  I  may  not 
be  wrong.  I  wish  to  satisfy  my  own  conscience." 

"  My  dear  Claire,  there  is,  as  my  sister  Fanny  says, 
a  certain  modesty  in  wearing  ornaments.  If  you  go 
down  in  that  unadorned,  angelic  gown,  you  seem  to 
say :  *  I  have  no  need  to  adorn  my  beauty.'  Or 
you  give  the  impression  forsooth  that  you  do  not  wish 
ribbons  and  amber  to  catch  the  admiration  which 
should  alone  be  given  to  your  adorable  eyes  and  long 
bright  hair." 

"  Let  us  go  downstairs,  Bernicia,"  said  Claire  quietly. 
"  If  your  brother  Harry  is  home,  then  my  brother 
George  is  also  home ;  and  he  will  not  thank  me  for 
detaining  you  here." 

"So  you  are  determined  to  take  your  own  way. 
That  is  what  comes  of  being  so  religious,  so  wilful, 
so  contradictory.  Now,  I  am  all  grace  and  complai 
sance,  and  what  can  I  do  to  pleasure  you  ?  But  sin 
ners  are  good-natured  ;  while  saints  do  not  care  a  jot 
for  anything  but  their  own  interest.  They  call  it  their 
*  eternal  interest,'  but  do  you  think  eternal  selfishness 
any  better  than  temporal  selfishness  ?  Do  you,  Claire  ? 
Do  you  ?  Do  you  really  think  it  any  better,  Claire  ?  " 

She  was  almost  dancing  down  the  stairway  as  she 
chattered  and  questioned,  waiting  for  no  answers,  and 
caring  for  none,  until  she  stood  with  Claire  at  the 
closed  door  of  the  parlour.  Then  she  looked  into 
Claire's  face,  and  asked  with  a  playful  smile : 

"  Is  it  one  of  my  handsome  days  ?  Am  I  the  very 
pink  of  perfection  ?  Is  my  gauze  uncrushed  ?  Are 
my  French  fripperies  quite  the  thing  ?  Are  my  looks 
all  intelligence  and  expression  ?  Am  I  one  of  the 
sweetest  creatures  alive  ? " 


Il8  BERNICIA. 

"  George  shall  answer  for  me,"  said  Claire,  opening 
the  door.  Harry's  hand  was  on  George's  shoulder  as 
they  went  in,  and  George  was  talking  with  earnest 
ness  ;  while  madame,  slightly  leaning  toward  them, 
had  the  air  of  one  who  gives  an  interested  yet  dissent 
ing  attention. 

The  entrance  of  Bernicia  and  Claire  made  a  swift 
interruption.  George,  with  a  rapid  bow  of  apology 
to  madame,  came  forward  to  meet  them  ;  offering 
with  impulsive  delight  both  his  hands  to  Bernicia. 
She  spread  out  her  skirt  and  her  "  fripperies  "  and 
made  him  a  charming  courtesy  ;  and  then  "hoped  he 
was  well  returned,  and  vowed  he  looked  sunbrowned, 
and  sea  blown,  and  a  thousand  times  better  than  she 
had  ever  seen  him  look.  Besides  which,"  she  added, 
"you  have  caught  the  French  air,  sir." 

"  Ho  !  ho  !  "  laughed  George.  "  That  I  dispute.  I 
am  too  sincerely  English  at  heart  to  take  the  French 
air  outwardly." 

"  Then  'tis  a  pity,  sir,"  said  Bernicia,  with  mock 
seriousness  ;  "  a  la  France  happens  to  be  the  word  in 
fashion  here,  as  in  France  it  is  a  f  Anglaise.  Have 
you  seen  the  book  published  there  called  '  The  Anglo- 
manie '  ?  And  pray,  sir,  why  did  you  not  deliver 
your  commission  in  person  ?  Poor  Harry  marched 
straight  into  the  enemy's  camp  last  night ;  for  you 
must  know  that  my  sister  Fanny  had  a  dinner  party. 
Fortunately,  the  brains  of  the  company  were  either 
in  their  hands  with  the  cards,  or  in  their  feet  with 
the  fiddles.  Had  they  been  better  employed,  Harry's 
stalking  into  their  midst  had  been  a  rare  riddle  for 
their  wit  or  their  ill-nature." 

Ere  George  could  explain  his  apparent  carelessness, 


HARRY'S   RETURN.  119 

William  Bouverie  entered,  and  the  men  serving  the 
dinner  followed  immediately.  He  looked  harassed 
and  sombre,  and  madame  for  the  moment  felt  a  little 
flutter  of  anxiety,  such  as  she  had  been  a  stranger  to 
for  many  a  year.  But  she  rose,  put  her  hand  through 
Harry's  arm,  and  advanced  a  few  steps  saying : 

"  Son  William,  this  is  my  grandson,  Harry  Cress- 
well.  I  have  asked  him  to  be  my  guest  for  a  short 
time.  His  visit  is  a  very  great  pleasure  to  me." 

Bouverie  was  far  from  being  pleased,  but  madame 
had  appealed  to  him  in  an  irresistible  manner.  He 
had  a  great  reverence  for  his  mother,  and  a  hypersen 
sitive  fear  lest  she  might  feel  herself  in  any  way  less 
than  mistress  of  his  house.  Had  not  this  motive 
existed  there  still  remained  the  powerful  sense  of 
hospitality  and  the  chivalrous  regard  for  a  guest 
which  was  then  a  national  trait  with  the  strength  of 
centuries  behind  it  ;  and  thus  swayed  by  instinctive 
interests  allied  to  his  very  nature,  he  found  it  impos 
sible  to  be  aught  but  courteous  to  his  nephew. 

Yet  it  was  a  silent,  perturbed  meal,  and  the  atmos 
phere  was  infectious.  Madame  appeared  to  be  lost  in 
thought  ;  George  answered  his  guardian's  questions 
in  respectful  monosyllables  ;  Harry  ate  little  and  said 
less  ;  and  Claire  scarcely  lifted  her  eyes.  Bernicia 
made  a  struggle  against  the  manifest  depression,  but 
even  she  was  finally  compelled  to  say  "  she  would 
content  herself  with  looking  as  cheerful  as  any  girl 
could  do  in  that  condition." 

Her  uncle  smiled  at  the  air  with  which  this  decision 
was  given,  and  asked  :  "  Pray,  what  condition,  Ber 
nicia  ?  " 

u  Oh,  the  humour  of   the  family,   Uncle   William  ! 


120  BERNICIA. 

'Tis  a  silent  humour,  and  'tis  a  pity,  for  I  am  in  a 
mood  to  talk  wisely,  if  the  hour  would  but  permit  me." 

"  I  met  Lord  and  Lady  Pomfret  as  I  came  home," 
he  answered,  as  if  willing  to  turn  the  conversation  to 
the  Pomfret  family.  "They  were  going  with  out 
riders  and  footmen  to  court,  I  suppose  ? " 

"Indeed,  no!  They  were  going  to  sup  at  Rane- 
lagh.  Everybody  of  importance  now  goes  there  ;  for, 
as  Mr.  Walpole  says,  the  very  floor  is  of  beaten 
princes :  you  cannot  set  your  foot  down  without 
treading  on  a  Prince  of  Wales  or  a  Duke  of  Cumber 
land.  Lord  Chesterfield  is  so  in  love  with  the  place 
that  he  has  all  his  letters  addressed  there." 

"How  singular!"  said  George.  "Lord  Chester 
field  must  have  many  letters  of  grave  importance." 

"  Perhaps  'tis  only  his  billets-doux  that  have  a  post 
at  Ranelagh,"  suggested  Harry. 

He  made  the  remark  aimlessly,  but  it  was  an  un 
fortunate  one.  Nobody  answered  it  ;  silence  again 
prevailed  ;  and  Bernicia,  with  a  shrug  and  a  scornful 
smile,  accepted  a  condition  of  things  she  found  herself 
unable  to  alter. 

After  dinner  William  Bouverie  excused  himself  on 
the  plea  of  a  meeting  of  the  City  Council  ;  and  then, 
the  night  being  warm,  the  parlour  door  was  thrown 
open,  and  George  took  Bernicia  by  the  hand  and  led 
her  into  the  large  hall.  There  he  began  to  talk  to  her 
of  the  men  whose  portraits  filled  it ;  and  while  the 
servants  were  passing  to  and  fro,  this  conversation  did 
very  well.  But,  when  their  work  was  done,  Bernicia 
said  : 

"I  am  not  interested  in  these  dead  gentlemen. 
Pray,  sir,  what  have  you  to  say  for  yourself  ?  " 


HARRYS     RETURN.  121 

"  I  have  first  to  complain  of  you.  When  I  came  to 
meet  you  with  my  hands  outstretched  and  my  heart  in 
them,  you  gave  me  a  courtesy." 

"  You  ought  to  be  grateful.  I  do  not  courtesy  to 
many  people.  My  hands  were  busy,  as  you  could  see, 
spreading  out  my  skirts.  Could  I  give  them  to  you 
and  spoil  a  reverence  ?  " 

"  You  ought  to  have  given  them  to  me.  Surely  you 
owe  me  some  show  of  love,  Bernicia  !  " 

"  Such  show  of  love  as  I  owe,  you  may  put  among 
your  desperate  debts.  Nothing  vexes  me  more  than 
to  pay  what  I  owe." 

"  Give  me  a  little  love,  then.  I  am  hungering 
for  it." 

They  were  close  to  the  door  of  the  large  parlour  as 
he  spoke,  and  George  opened  it  and  led  her  to  a  seat. 
Then  he  drew  up  the  window  blinds  and  let  the  red 
rays  of  the  setting  sun  flood  with  their  glory  the 
splendour  of  the  carved  and  gilded  woods,  the  fine 
damasks,  the  pictures,  the  china,  and  the  curios. 

"  What  a  magnificent  room  this  is  !  "  cried  Bernicia. 

"  'Tis  but  the  frame  to  the  fairest  picture  in  the 
world  when  you  are  in  it.  Queen  of  my  heart !  I  love 
you  !  " 

"Others  also  say  that,  cousin." 

"  Cousin  me  not.  You  have  already  called  me 
'  George,'  and  you  shall  not  go  back  a  letter  of  it. 
Say  George  !  " 

And  there  was  something  about  the  order  that  she 
could  not  resist.  The  two  words  marched  into  her 
heart  and  conquered  it.  She  trembled,  she  sighed,  she 
said  "  George."  And  then  he  kissed  her. 

It  was  the  first  love  kiss  Bernicia  had  received. 


122  BERNICIA. 

It  was  the  first  love  kiss  George  had  given.  For 
a  moment  there  was  a  divine  silence  between  them. 
Bernicia  was  rosy  and  then  white  as  the  roses  at  her 
breast.  George's  bending  face  was  transfigured  by 
an  unspeakable  transport,  and  he  laughed  softly  in  his 
rapture — a  rippling,  joyful  laugh,  such  as  comes  only 
from  the  pure  in  heart  when  their  bliss  is  beyond 
earth's  syllables. 

Then  he  talked  with  her  as  lovers  have  talked  ever 
since  the  world  began.  Wonderful  words  !  Foolish 
words.  The  eloquence  of  children  and  of  angels  ! 
It  was  their  moment  of  paradise.  George  was  newly 
created,  and  he  had  just  found  his  Eve.  And  Ber 
nicia  listened  as  Eve  had  listened.  The  song  was  a 
new  song  on  George's  lips.  The  story  was  made  for 
her.  It  was  as  if  kisses  were  a  thing  of  George's 
invention.  They  spoke  low.  They  forgot  to  speak. 
Bernicia  surrendered  her  hand  to  her  lover  ;  she  sur 
rendered  also  her  will,  for,  whenever  she  said  "  We 
must  go  back  to  Claire,"  he  answered  "  No,  we  will 
stay  here  a  little  longer."  And  she  stayed. 

It  was  not  until  he  ventured  on  the  word  "  wife  " 
that  he  frightened  her.  Then  she  rose  and  shook  her 
head  positively. 

"  You  have  spoiled  all,  George,"  she  said,  in  a  pet. 
"  Why  could  you  not  be  content  ?  Why  did  you  say 
'  wife  '  ?  " 

"  'Tis  a  sweet  word,  my  dear  one." 

"  'Tis  a  shrill  word,  a  penetrating  word,  a  word  of 
power.  I  will  not  listen  to  it.  Call  me  *  love,'  not 
'  wife.' " 

"  By  all  that  is  good  and  true,  you  have  given  me 
a  promise." 


HARRY'S  RETURN.  123 

"  Then  it  was  an  inconsiderate  promise.  I  am  sorry 
I  gave  it,  if  I  did  give  it.  Come,  let  us  go  to  madame 
and  Claire."  „ 

"  But  I  hope,  Bernicia " 

"  Hope  !  Yes.  I  have  had  lovers  who  have  built 
castles  upon  hope.  Hope  is  no  foundation." 

"  Dearest  !  sweetest  !  most  adorable  Bernicia  !  " 

Then  she  smiled  again  and  submitted,  and  slowly, 
very  slowly,  step  by  step,  they  went  back  to  the 
parlour. 

It  was  draped  in  the  same  gray  twilight  as  the  room 
they  had  left.  No  one  had  thought  of  candles,  for  both 
madame  and  Claire  had  become  oblivious  of  their 
immediate  surroundings,  while  "listening  to  the  out 
pouring  of  the  tragic  young  life  beside  them.  They 
were  sitting  close  to  a  window,  and  Harry,  with  the 
ineffable  look  of  youth  in  his  glooming  and  glowing 
countenance,  was  telling  the  story  of  his  sorrows, 
his  disappointments,  and  his  sufferings.  Claire's 
face  was  lifted  to  his  full  of  compassion,  and 
madame,  listening  with  all  her  heart,  was  not  aware 
that  she  was  crushing  between  her  fingers  the  stems 
of  the  flowering  musk,  though  this  waste  of  its  cool, 
subtle  fragrance  filled  the  room  like  the  very  breath 
of  heaven. 

"  I  have  troubled  you,"  said  Harry,  as  George  and 
Bernicia  joined  them.  "  And  why  should  I  ?  Nothing 
is  ever  given  back  to  the  moment  that  has  struck.  My 
past  I  can  never  redeem.  But  as  you  see,  grand 
mother,  I  have  been  a  bond  slave  to  ideas  and  prej 
udices  which  I  received  at  my  birth.  When  mis 
fortune  taught  me  how  to  think,  and  the  breaking  of 
all  my  idols  taught  me  how  to  feel,  then  I  understood 


124  BERNICIA. 

that  political  truths  are  only  truths  of  periods,  and 
that  a  mental  and  moral  slavery  to  dead  ideas  is  as 
real  a  slavery  as  a  physical  one." 

Madame  rose  to  her  feet.  In  the  gray  twilight  her 
tall  figure  had  great  majesty,  as  she  said  in  her  soft, 
resolute  speech  : 

"  Children  !  All  slavery,  whether  it  be  spiritual, 
mental,  or  physical,  is  a  violation  of  nature.  We  are 
all  born  to  die.  But  none  of  us  is  born  to  be  a 
slave  !  " 


CHAPTER  VI. 

LOVER    AND    PREACHER. 

WHEN  Bernicia  returned  home,  she  found  the 
household  in  a  hurry  of  preparation  for  the  country. 
With  an  explanatory  wave  of  the  hand,  Lady  Pomfret 
drew  Bernicia's  attention  to  the  maids  and  men 
packing  and  cording  the  little  hair-covered  trunks, 
and  then,  taking  her  into  an  adjoining  room,  she 
asked  impatiently  : 

"  Where  is  Harry  ?  Did  he  see  grandmother  ?  And 
what  success  had  he  with  her  ?  " 

"  Harry  will  remain  in  Bloomsbury  until  something 
can  be  done  in  his  affairs.  Sink  or  swim,  grand 
mother  will  stand  by  him,  of  that  I  am  sure.  Harry 
went  straight  to  her  heart,  and  she  already  thinks 
mountains  and  miracles  of  him." 

"  And  was  Uncle  William  as  easily  charmed  !  " 

"  At  the  first  he  was  merely  courteous,  but  after 
a  night's  reflection  he  was  also  generous.  He  charged 
me  to  tell  you,  if  gold  were  necessary  to  Harry's  safety, 
he  would  be  responsible  for  any  reasonable  sum." 

"  Indeed  gold  is  the  first  and  the  last  necessity. 
Lord  Pomfret  will  have  to  work  Harry's  affairs  with 
the  purse  open  in  his  hand." 

"  Have  you  then  engaged  Lord  Pomfret's  assistance  ? 
How  did  you  manage  it  ?  " 

"We  dined  tete-a-tete  last  night.  He  told  me  in 
advance  that  he  had  made  a  vow  not  to  let  any  Stuart 


126  BERNICIA. 

business  touch  his  integrity  to  the  Hanover  people. 
'Before  his  first  bottle  was  finished  he  had  promised 
me  all  my  desires.  Ah,  Bernicia,  what  is  integrity  to 
fascination  ?  " 

"  And  pray  how  will  he  work  the  business  ?  " 

"  Through  Lord  Rashleigh.  Your  lover's  jealous 
mistake  is  a  most  lucky  event.  It  enchanted  Lord 
John.  He  laughed  himself  into  the  most  obliging 
humour  about  it.  And  I  assure  you  I  acted  the  little 
play  for  him  in  a  very  diverting  manner." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  you  did.  You  spare  no  one  in 
such  diversions,  Fanny." 

"  My  dear,  I  did  you  no  injury,  and  I  did  Harry 
a  world  of  good.  You  must  know  that  Rashleigh's 
high  bred  air  and  flashing  black  eyes  are  much 
admired  by  the  great  countess.  He  has  only  to  bet 
her  a  thousand  guineas  that  she  ca?inot  get  Harry 
a  pardon  and  the  thing  is  done.  When  she  touches 
the  money,  Harry  will  get  the  king's  grace." 

"  Has  she  such  influence  at  court  ?  " 

"  The  king  is  on  his  knees  to  her,  and  she  can  be 
bought  at  every  point.  If  Lord  Rashleigh  then  will 
manage  the  German  woman,  she  in  turn  will  man 
age  the  king.  The  way  is  clear  enough." 

"  'Tis  a  dirty  way,  and  a  way  without  honour.  I 
vow  grandmother  had  a  better  thought." 

"  Then  let  us  have  it,  by  all  means." 

"  She  would  have  us  go  direct  to  Mr.  Whitefield. 
He  is  said  to  be  omnipotent  with  the  Countess  of 
Chesterfield,  who  is  the  king's  sister,  and  very  able  to 
move  him  to  mercy.  And  surely  it  is  better  the  king 
should  know  Harry  through  the  saintly  Chesterfield, 
than  through  such  a  sinner  as  the  German  countess." 


LOVER    AND    PREACHER.  127 

"  What  simpleton  has  told  you  that  the  king  knows 
saints  from  sinners  ?  He  is  sentimental,  or  he  is  gross. 
When  he  is  sentimental  he  weeps,  and  the  Chesterfield 
or  the  preacher  might  perhaps  touch  him.  When  he 
is  gross,  and  in  general  he  is  gross,  the  German 
does  her  will  with  him.  Grandmother's  way  is  the 
way  of  the  angels,  and  she  would  need  the  Archangel 
Michael  to  go  before  her.  Such  hopes  are  fantasti 
cal.  But  Uncle  William's  offer  is  the  length  and 
breadth  of  intelligence.  He  has  wit  enough  to  know 
that  the  purse  is  stronger  than  the  preacher." 

"  But  how  provoking  are  these  probabilities  and 
delays.  I  am  with  Harry,  who  would  gladly  see  the 
king  and  speak  for  himself." 

"  Harry  is  yet  so  young  that  he  believes  nothing  is 
impossible  to  him.  It  galls  his  pride  to  take  favours, 
but  he  must  take  them  or  be  ruined.  And  you  com 
plain  of  probabilities  and  delays,  yet  I  tell  you 
frankly,  Bernicia,  that  uncertainty  and  expectation 
are  among  the  very  joys  of  life." 

"  Well,  then,  so  much  for  Harry  at  the  present.  He 
is  comfortably  bestowed  for  a  week  or  two,  and  I  see 
that  you  are  packing  your  wardrobe.  Now  tell  me 
for  what  reason  ?  " 

"  We  are  going  to  the  country.  Captain  Wilder- 
mere  has  lent  us  his  villa  at  Richmond.  I  suppose  it 
was  on  the  cards.  He  is  said  to  sleep  with  them  in 
his  hands." 

"  How  wicked  we  all  are,  Fanny  !  " 

"  I  dare  say  that  Piccadilly  and  the  Mall  are  very 
like  what  the  fashionable  streets  in  Sodom  and  Tyre 
and  Sidon  were.  My  dear,  we  should  rattle  the  dice, 
and  go  to  races  and  balls,  if  fire  or  the  French  were 


128  BERNICIA. 

at  our  doors.  That  is  what  Mr.  Walpole  thinks, 
and  he  has  a  very  observing  mind.  But  good  or  bad, 
we  must  live  in  some  way,  and  simplicity  and  the 
country  are  now  the  fashion.  Tell  Tarset  to  pack 
your  fineries  ;  we  shall  send  the  trunks  and  some  of 
the  servants  to-morrow,  and  follow  them  at  our  con 
venience." 

"  Have  we  any  engagement  for  to-night  ? " 

"Oh,  you  may  be  certain  that  as  the  house  is  topsy 
turvy,  and  the  servants  out  of  their  wits  and  tempers, 
Lord  John  will  bring  home  company  to  dinner.  So 
make  yourself  handsome  and  agreeable  for  Harry's 
sake." 

Nothing  further  was  said,  but  Bernicia  understood 
that  Lord  Rashleigh  would  be  of  the  company,  and  if 
so,  that  he  would  find  opportunity  to  make  a  thou 
sand  apologies  and  protestations.  And  though,  as  she 
told  herself,  the  man  was  hateful  to  her,  and  not  to 
be  thought  of  as  a  lover,  she  had  the  feminine  desire 
to  look  aggravatingly  lovely  in  his  presence.  So  she 
put  on  the  snowy  Indian  mull  which  Rashleigh  vowed 
made  her  most  ravishing.  Her  charming  face,  her 
shining  eyes,  her  waving  hair,  her  tall  and  slender  form, 
and  the  glint  of  gems  on  her  white  arms  and  throat, 
made  her  so  bewitchingly  attractive  that  when  Rashleigh 
entered  the  room  he  was  speechless  with  admiration. 

Bernicia  was  alone.  She  was  leaning  against  an 
open  window,  idly  fingering  a  spray  of  honeysuckle 
which  encircled .  it,  and  the  room  was  full  of  its 
fragrance  and  of  her  beauty.  The  young  nobleman 
was  beside  himself  with  love  for  her,  but  she  did  not 
lift  her  eyes  from  the  honeysuckle  spray,  nor  did  she 
by  either  smile  or  word  encourage  her  penitent  suitor. 


LOVER    AND    PREACHER.  1 29 

He  gazed  at  her  until  his  heart  burned,  and  then  the 
next  moment  he  was  kneeling  at  her  feet.  The  act  was 
spontaneous  and  natural.  He  had  not  intended  it,  and 
he  was  not  able  to  avoid  it.  His  great  love  forced  him  to 
his  knees,  and  in  that  attitude  he  found  the  words  he 
wished  to  say.  He  made  no  apologies  for  his  mistake, 
nor  yet  for  his  bad  temper,  he  laid  everything  to  the 
master  passion  that  ruled  him.  He  said  he  was  mad 
with  jealousy,  and  was  not  sorry  for  it.  Brother  or 
lover,  all  men  were  hateful  to  him  who  won  from  her 
the  smiles  and  words  he  was  dying  for. 

"If  you  will  not  love  me,  Bernicia  Cresswell,"  he 
cried,  "  then  bid  me  die  at  your  feet.  My  sword  will 
not  hurt  as  cruelly  as  your  disdain." 

The  words  were  living  words,  full  of  the  might  of 
truth,  and  Bernicia  could  not  avoid  looking  at  the 
speaker.  He  was  handsome,  he  was  graceful,  he  was 
in  very  earnest,  but  she  was  annoyed,  and  there  was 
a  tone  of  anger  in  her  voice  as  she  answered  : 

"  Stand  up,  Lord  Rashleigh  !  I  am  not  to  be  woo'd 
in  any  such  fashion.  Give  me  your  arm  and  we  will 
take  a  stroll  in  the  garden." 

He  did  as  he  was  told,  but  his  manner  was  that 
of  a  man  both  injured  and  offended.  As  they  walked 
one  length  of  the  flagged  avenue  skirting  the  house, 
he  remained  silent,  looking  straight  before  him,  and 
giving  Bernicia  no  aid  whatever  in  her  purpose  to 
change  the  conversation.  Indeed,  he  preserved  intact 
the  attitude  of  a  man  waiting  for  an  answer. 

His  silent  persistence  vexed  Bernicia.  She  thought 
he  might  have  understood  her  reluctance  to  be 
suddenly  pinned  down  to  a  promise  and  a  position. 
The  silence  made  a  demand,  it  claimed  something,  it 


I3<>  BERNICIA. 

irritated  her,  and  as  they  turned  backward  she  broke 
its  spell  with  a  pettish  assertion  that  "  the  wind  was 
chill  and  the  dust  blowing,  and  that  she  would  go 
back  to  the  house." 

"But  you  will  answer  me  first,  Miss  Cresswell. 
Indeed,  you  will." 

"Then  it  must  be  a  put-off,  sir.  I  am  shivery  ;  I 
am  ill  at  ease,  and  my  thoughts  are  with  others.  I 
have  little  mind  to  talk  at  present,  except  it  be  about 
my  brother  Harry." 

"  I   have  already  discussed   his   affairs  with    Lord 

Pomfret,  and  pledged  my  utmost  ability  in  his  behalf." 

-"Why  did  you  not  tell   me  so  much    before?     I 

would  have  thanked  you  most  feelingly  for  the  news." 

"  Your  gratitude  is  not  what  I  ask  for  ;  I  am  dying 
for  your  love,  and  nothing  less  will  content  me." 
Then  suddenly  he  took  both  her  hands  in  his  own,  and 
said,  "  You  shall  not  leave  until  you  say  some  sensible 
word  to  me.  May  I  love  you  with  any  hope  of 
return?" 

She  made  an  effort  to  withdraw  her  hands,  but  the 
grasp  was  too  firm,  and  she  said  with  some  temper  : 

"  I  am  not  to  be  forced  into  a  promise.  Give  me 
my  hands.  Under  compulsion,  I  will  not  say  one  kind 
word." 

"Oh,  Bernicia  !  Oh,  little  proud,  wild  heart!  I 
will  win,  or  I  will  die  for  you  !  " 

Then  he  kissed  her  hands,  and  let  them  fall,  and 
Bernicia  looked  with  pretended  pity  at  the  marks  his 
grasp  had  left.  But  there  was  something  in  this 
mastery  that  pleased  her.  She  walked  slowly  at 
Rashleigh's  side,  and  his  ardent  glances  stole  softly 
into  her  consciousness.  He  made  her  no  compli- 


LOVER    AND    PREACHER.  131 

ments,  and  she  liked  him  for  the  omission.  She  was 
no  vain  girl  to  be  caught  with  a  few  silly  words. 
As  they  approached  the  door,  she  heard  Lord  Pom- 
fret's  voice,  and  she  said  : 

"  I  am  sure  that  my  brother  has  visitors  with  him. 
Our  conversation  is  not  for  the  public.  Let  us  talk  of 
the  new  play,  or  the  weather,  or  the  prince,  or  the 
preacher,  or  anything  that  is  common  and  general." 

Suiting  her  actions  to  her  words,  she  advanced  to 
meet  the  gay  company  who  had  accompanied  Lord 
Pomfret  home.  The  party  was  immediately  joined  by 
Lady  Pomfret,  then  dinner  was  served,  and  the  hours 
went  by  in  eating  and  health-drinking,  and  in  much 
conversation  that  Vas  both  witty  and  scandalous. 
Cards,  music,  and  a  minuet  followed,  but  Bernicia  was 
restless  and  not  very  happy.  She  watched  Lord 
Rashleigh  in  a  critical  temper,  and  yet  found  much  to 
admire  that  she  had  not  before  observed.  He  was 
indeed  slighter  and  shorter  than  George  Abney,  and 
his  face  and  manner  lacked  entirely  the  placid 
strength  and  beauty  which  distinguished  the  young 
citizen.  On  the  contrary  Rashleigh's  countenance 
was  dark,  thin,  and  full  of  passionate  expressions  ; 
and  his  manner  reckless  and  authoritative.  But  as  the 
players  sat  at  the  tables,  Bernicia  watched  his  careless 
extravagance  with  an  angry  admiration.  He  dealt 
with  indifference,  he  staked  with  still  greater  indiffer 
ence,  he  lost  continually  with  a  levity  that  was  not 
good  nature.  She  blamed  herself  for  his  imprudences, 
and  her  anger  turned  to  pity,  and  she  said  at  the  close 
of  a  game  : 

"  My  lord,  what  say  you  to  a  minuet  ?  My  sister 
will  play  us  the  measure." 


132  BERNICIA. 

Lady  Pomfret  was  very  willing,  and  Rashleigh  was 
in  a  mood  to  excel  himself.  He  danced  to  perfection, 
and  piqued  Bernicia  into  an  equal  enthusiasm  ;  so 
that  the  company  gradually  left  the  tables  to  watch 
the  graceful  movements  and  courtesies  of  the  dancers. 
And  after  this  concession,  it  was  impossible  for  Rash 
leigh  to  maintain  his  attitude  of  reckless  offence.  He 
said  to  himself  that  he  had  chosen  an  ill  hour,  and 
must  now  wait  for  a  better  opportunity.  And  as  men 
like  a  scapegoat  for  their  mistakes,  he  laid  the  blame 
of  his  imprudence  upon  Harry  Cresswell.  "  He  drove 
me  into  a  fever  of  jealousy,  and  made  me  look  and 
say  a  score  of  foolish  things  ;  yet  I  have  promised  to 
secure  a  pardon  for  him,  if  the  thing  can  be  brought 
to  pass  through  woman  or  gold.  Tis  a  thousand 
pities  I  am  so  easy-tempered."  Thus  he  thought,  and 
thus  he  tried  to  comfort  his  wounded  self-esteem. 

Lady  Pomfret  was  sure  Lord  Rashleigh  could  com 
pass  Harry's  pardon,  but  Bernicia  had  little  faith  in 
him. 

"A  bad  woman  and  the  king's  temper  are  as 
unreliable  things  to  build  hope  on  as  can  be,"  she 
said,  "  and  Harry's  pardon  by  such  means  is  as  dubi 
ous  as  possible." 

"It  is  obvious  as  possible,"  reiterated  Lady 
Pomfret. 

"Very  well;  your  cry  vs. 'Obvious!  obvious!'  and 
mine  is  ' Dubious  !  dubious  !  '  Between  Rashleigh  and 
the  countess  and  the  king,  I  have  no  doubt  the  affair 
will  fluctuate  until  it  is  exceedingly  tiresome,  and  we 
are  all  aweary  of  it." 

"  You  are  in  a  discontented  mood,  miss,  and  no  one 
can  pleasure  you.  To-morrow  you  must  say  your 


LOVER    AND    PREACHER.  133 

'  farewells '  in  Bloomsbury,  and  I  hope  the  people 
there  may  content  you  better.  However,  as  I  am 
resolved  to  go  to  Richmond  in  the  afternoon,  you  will 
return  home  early  in  the  day,  I  hope." 

Bernicia's  visit  to  Bloomsbury  was  important,  not 
only  as  a  matter  of  courtesy  to  her  relatives,  but  she 
was  also  to  carry  a  letter  from  Lord  Pomfret  to  William 
Bouverie,  and  to  inform  Harry  of  the  movements  to 
be  made  in  his  favour.  Madame  heard  them  with 
extreme  disapprobation.  Harry  had  become  dear  to 
her,  and  she  could  not  endure  that  he  should  owe  his 
pardon  to  the  blandishments  of  a  wanton. 

"There  is  some  better  way,"  she  said  positively. 
"  Such  a  plan  is  wickedness  itself.  Will  you  take  the 
king's  grace,  Harry,  through  the  hands  of  the  flesh 
and  the  devil  ?" 

The  young  man  hesitated.  "  If  a  prisoner  is  seek 
ing  life  and  liberty,"  he  said,  "  he  cares  not  what 
hands  open  his  prison  door."  Then  he  rose  from 
Claire's  side  and  began  to  argue  on  the  expediency 
of  accepting  such  opportunities  as  fortune  provided. 
He  spoke  well,  and  Bernicia  nodded  assent  to  some  of 
his  assertions,  and  Claire  sighed  at  their  sinful  reason 
ableness  ;  but  madame  was  not  to  be  convinced. 

"  If  I  were  but  a  spectator  in  the  matter,"  she 
answered,  "  I  could  frown,  and  jog  my  foot,  and  say 
'  How  wicked  are  people  grown  ! '  and  so  send  the 
subject  out  of  my  thoughts  ;  but  in  this  case  I  have  a 
responsibility,  and  such  airs  will  not  do  with  my  own 
conscience.  But  I  must  believe  that  there  are  good 
people  who  will  show  mercy  for  God's  sake,  as  well  as 
wicked  people  who  will  sell  it  for  gold  or  lust." 

After  this  she  relapsed  into  silence  and  thought,  and 


134  BERNICIA. 

the  young  people  sat  by  one  of  the  open  windows. and 
talked  softly  of  a  great  many  things.  Bernicia  de 
scribed  the  dinner  of  the  previous  evening,  the  play 
and  the  minuet,  and,  generally  speaking,  usurped  the 
conversation.  But  her  eyes  were  as  busy  as  her 
tongue,  and  she  noticed  that  Harry  heard  little  that 
was  said,  and  that  he  was  wholly  absorbed  in  Claire, 
who  seemed  to  have  put  on  a  new  nature.  And  in  a 
measure  this  was  true,  for  Claire  had  hitherto  been 
like  a  flower  partially  opened,  with  some  leaves  yet 
asleep  at  its  roots,  and  some  petals  yet  folded  in  bud. 
Suddenly  a  breath  of  love  had  blown  buds  and  leaves 
to  perfection.  Bernicia  was  astonished  at  the  change. 
She  could  not  help  saying  to  herself,  "  How  exquisite 
she  is  !  What  holy  fantasies  are  in  her  eyes  !  What 
an  air  of  sweet  austerity  is  around  her  !  She  is  an 
angel,  both  inside  and  out." 

No  one  spoke  of  George,  and  Bernicia  was  too  con 
scious  of  her  interest  in  him  to  do  so.  Harry  was 
thinking  of  Claire;  Claire  thinking  only  of  Harry,  and 
to  madame,  George  Abney  had  never  been  an  object  of 
affection,  nor  even  of  much  solicitude.  But  the  omis 
sion  finally  irritated  Bernicia,  and  she  said  testily  : 

"  I  shall  go  to  your  room  and  rest  a  little,  Claire.  I 
think  you  and  Harry  can  make  shift  to  do  without 
me."  And  she  looked  at  Claire  and  Harry,  and 
coughed  behind  her  fan  in  a  way  that  covered  Claire 
with  blushes,  and  made  her  rise  hastily,  saying  : 

"  Indeed,  I  shall  go  with  you,  Bernicia.  I  also  think 
that  Harry  can  make  shift  to  do  without  me." 

When  they  had  reached  Claire's  room  Bernicia  threw 
herself  on  a  lounge  with  an  impatient  manner. 

"  What  a  tiresome  morning  it  has  been  !  "  she  cried. 


LOVER    AND    PREACHER.  135 

"  I   hate  to  be   in   a  company  where  nobody   thinks 
of  me." 

"  You  are  always  in  my  mind,  Bernicia." 
"  With  all  the  good  temper  in  the  world,  I  say  that 
I  was  out  of  everyone's  consideration.  You  thought 
only  of  Harry,  and  grandmother  thought  only  of 
Harry,  and  Harry  thought  only  of  you.  You  have  a 
most  celestial  way  with  Harry,  but  trust  me,  it  is  one 
that  will  bring  you  into  scrapes,  miss,  sooner  or 
later." 

"  And  you  have  a  way  with  me,  that  would  be  very 
wounding,  if  I  did  not  know  how  little  it  meant.  I 
was  simply  listening  to  Harry's  opinions.  I  am  sure 
you  also  agreed  with  them." 

"  I  have  no  objection  to  his  opinions,  except  that  in 
general  they  overturn  my  own.  At  present  I  am  for 
the  country  and  a  sleep.  I  shall  let  everything  go  for 
a  seven  days  or  so." 

"  But  about  Harry's  pardon — what  is  to  be  done  ? " 
"  Whenever  I  come  to  the  pass  of  what  is  to  be 
done,  I  answer,  nothing." 

"  But  Harry's  affairs  can  hardly  wait." 
"  I  trust  I  am  more  prudent  than  to  be  doing, 
whether  events  favour  or  not.  I  can  wait  for  the  little 
god,  Opportunity.  I  am  so  tired  of  hearing  nothing 
but  Harry  !  For  a  change,  let  me  ask  you  where  is 
George  ?  I  came  early  this  morning,  hoping  to  see 
him,  and  lo  !  and  behold  !  he  is  invisible  and  appar 
ently  unmentionable." 

"  No  one  has  seen  George  this  morning,  and  the 
reason  is  very  natural.  Uncle  had  two  great  ships 
leaving  at  midnight  for  the  Baltic  and  the  Spanish 
seas,  and  George  was  necessary.  After  their  depart- 


136  BERNICIA. 

lire  he  would  sleep  at  his  inn,  and  so  to  business  this 
morning  from  there.  Had  he  known  you  were  here,  we 
might  certainly  have  counted  on  his  presence,  for  you 
have  a  way  with  George,  that  makes  him  very  much 
your  servant.  I  hope  truly  it  may  bring  you  happi 
ness  and  keep  you  out  of  scrapes." 

"Claire,  you  are  a  mean  little  sinner  to  give  me 
my  words  back  so  uncharitably.  Do  you  wish  to  heap 
coals  of  fire  on  my  head  ?  And  if  so,  what  do  you 
think  of  deviating  into  the  right  for  a  wrong  reason  ? 
Is  it  not  very  like  doing  evil  that  good  may  come  ? 
Fanny  told  me  to  invite  you  to  visit  us  at  Richmond. 
Shall  I  not  come  in  for  you  next  week  ?  " 

"  If  madame  will  consent.  You  know  already  that 
it  is  always  pleasant  for  me  to  be  with  you." 

"  I  have  also  an  invitation  for  George." 

"  Does  Lady  Pomfret  indeed  care  to  see  my  brother 
again  ?  " 

"  She  has  but  one  cry  against  him,  that  he  is  a  born 
Dissenter,  the  only  fault  he  cannot  possibly  correct." 

"  Indeed,  George  is  very  little  of  a  bigot.  When  he 
was  talking  with  uncle  about  Harry,  he  said,  '  Sir,  I 
should  as  soon  expect  every  man  to  be  of  my  height 
and  complexion  as  of  my  views  and  opinions.'  ' 

"  What  a  tiresome  subject  we  have  fallen  upon  ! 
Let  us  talk  of  dress  and  lovers  and  such  trifles.  I  am 
in  no  mood  to  be  serious,  and  I  wish  that  George  were 
here  to  sing  with  me,  or  quarrel  with  me,  for  I  am 
tired  of  conversation  that  has  a  purpose." 

In  this  assertion  Bernicia  was  flatly  denying  her 
actual  temper.  She  was  anxious  about  Harry, 
troubled  about  Lord  Rashleigh,  uncertain  about  her 
feeling  for  George  Abney,  disgusted  with  the  frivolities 


LOVER    AND    PREACHER.  137 

of  her  life,  and  yet  afraid  of  the  realities  of  a  wiser 
one.  Her  emotions  were  so  complex  that  she  could 
not  understand  them,  and  she  suffered  from  that 
weary  depression  which  always  accompanies  our  in 
abilities  in  any  direction, 

She  saw  George  at  dinner,  but  the  meeting  was  a  dis 
appointment.  He  was  strangely  preoccupied  ;  he  was 
even  restless,  a  condition  quite  at  variance  with  his 
character  and  habits.  At  the  table  he  spoke  seldom, 
but  he  frequently  laid  down  his  knife  and  fork  with  a 
sudden  action  that  compelled  the  attention  of  all  pres 
ent.  Bernicia  felt  that  for  some  reason  she  had 
ceased  to  command  his  thoughts,  that  indeed  some 
transcendent  interest  had  taken  possession  of  his 
mind,  and  she  was  piqued  and  curious  about  the  change. 
But  George  said  nothing  in  explanation  until  the 
cloth  was  drawn  and  the  servants  had  left  the  room. 
Then  he  rose  to  his  feet,  his  face  shone,  his  eyes  filled 
with  tears,  his  whole  person  radiated  the  intensity  of 
his  feeling.  All  were  attracted  by  his  appearance, 
and  William  Bouverie  said  : 

"  I  see  that  you  have  something  to  tell  us,  George. 
What  have  you  heard  ?  Where  have  you  been  ?  " 

"  I  went  this  morning  to  Moorfields,  sir.  I  went  to 
Moorfields,  and  Mr.  Whitefield  took  me  to  Calvary. 
And  I  have  heard  the  voice  of  the  Lord  like  a  cry  at 
midnight,  startling  the  sleeping  world.  Oh,  sir  !  I  can 
never  be  the  same  man  again  !  " 

"  I  hope  then,  George,  you  will  be  a  better  man," 
said  William  Bouverie.  "  Pray  what  took  you  to 
Moorfields  ?  " 

"  You  know,  sir,  that  I  was  at  the  wharves  until  the 
ships  sailed.  And  my  heart  was  full  of  them.  They 


8  BERXICIA. 


seemed  to  me  like  living  creatures  bound  on  great 
adventures  ;  and  when  they  slipped  their  anchors,  I 
lifted  my  hat  to  their  captains  and  men,  and  was  much 
affected.  The  silence  and  the  night,  the  wind  and 
the  tide,  and  many  other  things  made  my  heart  swell  ; 
and  I  reached  my  inn  very  little  inclined  to  sleep. 
After  two  or  three  restless  hours  I  heard  the  continu 
ous  tread  of  feet,  and  I  went  to  the  window  and 
opened  it.  Then  I  saw  great  numbers  of  poor  folk 
going  in  one  direction.  It  was  not  near  the  dawning, 
and  some  who  had  come  from  far  off  had  still  their 
lighted  lanterns  in  their  hands.  I  said  to  myself  on 
the  instant,  these  people  are  going  to  hear  George 
Whitefield  preach.  For  you  must  know  that  his  first 
sermon  at  the  dawn  is  only  heard  by  watermen  and 
river-traders,  hawkers  and  market  folk,  and  such  as 
have  no  time  later  on  in  the  day.  So  I  went  with  them, 
and  I  heard  a  sermon  in  market  language — a  sermon 
that  a  little  child  could  have  understood,  that  an 
apostle  might  have  preached." 

William  Bouverie  played  with  his  watch  chain  and 
seals,  and  looked  down,  but  madame  said  in  a  tone  of 
expectancy,  "  Well,  then,  George  Abney,  tell  us  what 
you  saw  and  heard  ?  " 

"  When  I  reached  Moorfields,"  continued  George, 
"  there  were  at  least  three  thousand  people  present. 
It  was  not  quite  dawn,  and  all  the  common  was  gray 
and  dewy.  There  was  the  murmur  of  the  multitude, 
but  so  little  rude  noise  that  I  heard  the  crowing  of 
the  cocks  in  the  far-off  solitary  farmhouses.  White- 
field's  whole  figure  was  visible,  and  the  great  congre 
gation  stood  before  him.  His  white  surplice  fell  to 
his  feet ;  his  beaming  face  shone  in  the  dim  light  ;  his 


LOVER   AND    PREACHER.  139 

arms  were  uplifted,  and  in  his  right  hand  he  held  a 
small  open  Bible,  as  he  cried, '  Come  unto  me  all  ye  that 
are  weary  and  heavy  laden!'  And  his  wonderful 
voice,  sweet  and  strong  as  an  angel's,  thrilled  the  air 
above,  and  the  hearts  below.  '  It  is  Jesus  Christ  who 
asks  you  to  come  to  him,'  he  continued,  '  because  he 
knows  what  it  is  to  be  hungry,  and  thirsty,  and  weary, 
and  friendless,  and  homeless.  Are  you  poor?  Jesus 
had  not  where  to  lay  his  head.  Are  you  weary  ?  Jesus 
fainted  under  his  Cross.  Are  you  wronged  by  those 
who  ought  to  love  you  ?  Jesus  was  sold  by  Judas, 
and  denied  by  Peter,  and  his  own  brethren  thought 
him  mad.'  The  enthusiasm  of  Heaven  was  in  every 
word,  his  soul  burned  as  he  entreated  and  persuaded. 
He  took  us  to  Gethsemane,  and  led  us  up  the  hill 
Calvary.  He  drew  apart  the  curtains  which  veil 
eternity,  and  showed  us  the  despairs  of  the  lost,  and 
the  ineffable  happiness  of  the  saved.  He  stretched 
out  his  arms  as  if  he  would  gather  the  multitude  with 
in  them,  and  said  that  so  were  the  arms  of  Christ  out 
stretched  upon  the  Cross,  that  he  might  draw  all  men 
unto  him.  And  when  at  last  he  cried  out,  '  Let  us 
with  angels  and  archangels,  and  with  the  whole  com 
pany  of  heaven,  come  to  the  only  begotten  Son,  Jesus 
Christ,  the  Lamb  of  God,  the  Son  of  the  Father,  who 
taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world,'  there  was  no 
necessity  to  bid  us  kneel  or  bid  us  pray.  We  were 
all  on  our  knees.  We  were  all  praying.  As  the 
preacher  finished,  the  first  rays  of  the  rising  sun  fell 
over  him,  and  his  white  raiment  shone  in  the  light, 
and  he  blessed  us  there.  Then  the  men  and  women 
went  away  to  their  work  on  the  river,  and  in  the  streets, 
and  though  most  of  them  were  weeping,  they  were 


140  BERNICIA. 

such  tears  as  God  brings  out  of  his  sanctuary  and 
wipes  away  with  his  own  hand." 

"  And  were  you  weeping,  cousin  ?  "  asked  Bernicia. 

"  Indeed,"  answered  George,  "  I  had  an  inexpress 
ible  anguish  and  sadness  when  I  looked  on  these 
weary  ones  with  their  wan  faces  and  reddened  eyelids, 
and  thought  of  the  multitudes  who,  even  in  this  Eng 
land,  know  not  of  Christ.  And  all  other  things 
seemed  insignificant  to  me  at  that  hour,  and  I  longed 
for  the  tongue  of  an  angel  that  I  might  preach  the 
everlasting  Gospel." 

"  God  puts  each  man  in  his  proper  place,  George. 
That  is  his  work,  it  is  not  ours,"  said  William 
Bouverie.  "  And  I  say  truly,"  he  continued,  "  that  I 
do  not  altogether  approve  of  these  Methodists.  Mr. 
Whitefield  and  the  Wesleys,  and  others  of  the  same 
persuasion,  are  ordained  clergymen  of  the  Church  of 
England.  There  are  plenty  of  churches  to  preach  in  ; 
and  this  hedge  and  highway  preaching  is  likely  to 
degrade  holy  things." 

"  Son  William,"  said  madame,  "  Mr.  Whitefield  has 
precedents.  Jesus  Christ  preached  in  the  fields  and 
highways.  Peter  preached  in  the  house  of  Cornelius  ; 
and  St.  Paul  preached  a  great  sermon  on  Mars  Hill." 

"  Let  us  not  dispute  further,  mother.  We  can  talk 
ourselves  into  error.  But  I  will  say  that  men  who  are 
neither  Churchmen  nor  Dissenters  are  suspicious.  If 
Episcopacy  is  too  narrow  for  them,  surely  Dissent  is 
wide  enough." 

"  Methodism  and  Dissent  are  radically  different, 
sir,"  said  George. 

"  Then,  George,  Methodism  is  very  likely  radically 
in  the  wrong." 


LOVER    AND    PREACHER.  141 

"  I  think  not,  sir.  The  quarrel  of  Dissent  with  the 
Church  is  with  its  government ;  the  quarrel  of  Metho 
dism  is  with  its  atheism  and  want  of  living  religion  ; 
with " 

"  'Tis  no  matter,  George.  We  are  neither  Luthers 
nor  Calvins.  And,  'tis  said,  these  Methodists  are 
already  quarrelling  among  themselves.  Whitefield  is 
crying  *  Calvin '  and  Wesley  '  Arminius,'  and  so  it 
goes.  Public  opinion  is  greatly  against  them." 

"  Indeed,  son  William,"  said  madame,  "  I  give  little 
for  public  opinion  in  matters  of  religion.  Public 
opinion  was  with  Pilate,  and  against  Christ  ;  with  the 
world,  and  against  the  apostles  ;  and  so  it  ever  is.  If 
these  Methodists  are  of  God,  he  will  approve  them  ; 
and  if  not,  they  will  quickly  vanish  away." 

"  I  assure  you,  sir,"  said  George,  "  that  God  yet 
speaks  to  mortal  man.  Both  Churchmen  and  Dis 
senters  may  scorn  this  little  company  of  preachers, 
but  glorious  things  shall  yet  be  spoken  of  them  ;  for 
I  heard  this  morning  the  shout  of  a  King  in  the 
Methodist  camp." 

He  spoke  with  a  passion  of  conviction  that  was 
independent  of  either  the  sympathy  or  indifference 
of  his  audience.  For  he  was  seeing — not  with,  but 
through  his  eyes — things  invisible  :  the  kneeling,  weep 
ing  multitude  at  the  feet  of  the  seraphic  preacher 
adjuring  angels  and  archangels,  and  the  whole  com 
pany  of  heaven,  to  lead  them  to  the  Lamb  of  God,  the 
Son  of  the  Father,  who  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the 
world. 

Yet  it  was  only  madame  and  Claire  who  in  any 
measure  entered  into  his  feelings.  William  Bouverie 
was  annoyed,  and  he  said  in  a  tone  of  finality  :  "  'Tis 


142  BERNICIA. 

a  subject  we  are  none  of  us  ready  to  be  judges  on." 
And  with  these  words  he  rose  and  went  to  his  private 
room.  Then  Harry,  whose  curiosity  was  aroused,  began 
to  question  madame,  and  George  tried  to  draw  Ber- 
nicia  into  the  privacy  of  the  state  parlour.  But  never 
had  she  been  so  unreasonable.  She  made  a  mock,  not 
only  of  her  own  feelings,  but  of  every  other  person's, 
and  she  vowed  that  "  George  Abney  could  speak  of 
things  of  no  signification  with  more  importance  than 
any  other  man."  Then  as  she  felt  herself  to  be  nearer 
tears  than  laughter  she  became  contradictory  and 
even  cross.  George  was  patient,  because  love  under 
stands  and  can  therefore  wait ;  yet  her  bad  temper 
bit  at  both  ends  and  all  along  the  line,  and  she  made 
herself  as  miserable  as  she  made  her  lover.  Indeed, 
everyone  in  the  room  was  growing  irritable,  when 
Bernicia  finally  said  : 

"  I  have  listened  to  all  kinds  of  disagreeable 
opinions  with  as  much  patience  as  any  Christian 
could,  but  now,  if  you  will  excuse  my  presence,  I  shall 
put  my  eyes  and  ears  to  sleep.  To-morrow  we  go  to 
Richmond,  and  Fanny  expects  me  early." 

"  To-morrow  !  "  cried  madame.  "  To-morrow  is 
Saturday.  You  cannot  possibly  get  into  any  order 
before  the  Sabbath  day." 

"Well,  grandmother,  Fanny  has  no  partiality  for 
the  Sabbath  day ;  and,  to  be  sure,  it  is  a  poor  thing 
to  put  all  our  religion  into  one  favourite  day,  as  if  the 
other  six  had  no  souls  to  save." 

"That  must  be  one  of  Mr.  Walpole's  smart  sayings," 
replied  madame,  with  much  anger  ;  "  for  wits  never 
think  they  are  great  wits  until  they  laugh  at  things  too 
holy  for  them  to  name." 


LOVER    AND    PREACHER.  143 

"  Then  I  beg  your  pardon  for  Mr.  Walpole,  grand 
mother.  Whom  shall  we  talk  of  ?  The  wit  is  too 
bad,  and  the  preacher  is  too  good." 

"  Bernicia,"  said  George,  as  he  lifted  her  hand,  "  I 
have  a  strange  thing  to  tell  you  about  the  preacher." 

"  I  will  not  hear  another  word  about  him,  sir,"  and 
she  withdrew  her  hand  in  a  manner  to  emphasise 
her  refusal. 

"  But  I  have  heard  you  say  that  you  wished  to  know 
all  that  concerned  the  Moorfields  service." 

"  I  have  said  many  foolish  things,  and  besides,  you 
have  quite  satisfied  me.  I  now  see  plainly  that  the 
early-morning  Methodists  have  the  best  of  it.  Mr. 
Whitefield  keeps  all  his  rjood  promises  for  the  hawkers, 
and  watermen,  and  servant  maids.  For  sinners  of  the 
court  and  the  quality  he  has  nothing  but  the  devil 
and  his  dwelling-place.  So  you  see,  all  of  you,  that 
there  is  one  Gospel  for  Park  Street  and  another  Gospel 
for  Moorfields.  So  much  for  Mr.  Whitefield.  I  will 
have  no  more  of  him,"  and  so  with  a  courtesy  to 
madame  she  left  the  room. 


CHAPTER  VII. 
WILLIAM  BOUVERIE'S  ANGER. 

ONE  morning  in  the  following  July  George  White- 
field  was  sitting  motionless  in  his  lodging.  The 
physical  man  was  weary,  and  the  nobler  man  within 
the  physical  man  was  sorrowful  from  standing  in  the 
shadow  of  unnatural  death.  On  the  Edgeware  Road 
at  the  dawn  he  had  preached  Christ  to  many  thousand 
souls,  and  coming  back,  full  of  the  rapture  of  his 
theme,  had  met  a  little  congregation  impossible  to 
pass.  It  was  a  thief  going  to  Tyburn, — that  melan 
choly  old  place  of  execution, — a  thief  sitting  on  his 
coffin  with  the  hangman  smoking  his  pipe  beside  him, 
and  the  javelin  men  surrounding  the  cart,  and  a  ribald 
crowd  following  after.  Under  the  gallows,  standing 
by  the  thief's  side,  Whitefield  had  spoken  to  this  con 
gregation  of  God's  gathering,  like  an  immortal  plead 
ing  with  immortals,  until  its  cruel  mirth  had  been 
hushed  in  tears,  and  the  poor  soul,  ready  to  perish, 
had  gone  trusting  and  praying  into  the  great  darkness. 

But  his  hour  was  now  over,  and  he  sat  like  a 
prophet  who  has  delivered  his  message,  and  who  feels 
all  the  weakness  and  limitations  of  his  humanity. 
The  scene  through  which  he  had  just  passed  made 
him  exceedingly  sorrowful ;  the  trembling  criminal, 
the  indifferent  officials,  the  brutal  savages  of  civilisa 
tion  pressed  hopelessly  upon  his  consciousness,  and 


WILLIAM  BOUVERIE'S  ANGER.  145 

he  sat  dumbly  quiet  under  their  influence.  But  spir 
itual  reaction  in  Whitefield's  case  was  generally  rapid  ; 
he  soon  remembered  how,  with  the  Gospel  on  his  lips, 
he  had  moved  these  outcasts  to  tears  and  prayer  ;  and 
his  face  grew  luminous,  and  his  eyes  beamed,  and 
with  a  radiant  smile  he  rose  to  his  feet,  saying  con 
fidently  :  "  Thank  God,  it  is  not  George  Whitefield  ! 
it  is  Jesus  Christ,  and  he  is  sufficient." 

At  this  moment  the  door  of  the  room  opened,  and 
he  turned  his  face  toward  it.  Madame  Bouverie  and 
her  grandson  entered,  madame  leaning  on  Harry's  arm. 
Whitefield  understood  at  a  glance  that  his  visitors  were 
not  of  the  ordinary  sort,  and  madame's  perceptions 
were  equally  clear.  She  said  to  herself  instantly,  "  This 
is  one  of  the  sons  of  God."  For  Whitefield  had 
turned  to  her  with  all  the  enthusiasm  of  his  last  reflec 
tion  lighting  his  countenance,  and  his  tall,  graceful, 
beautiful  presence,  his  frank,  easy  carnage,  his  holy 
eyes,  his  tuneful  voice,  made  him  the  very  realisation  of 
a  young  prophet.  Madame  was  also  much  impressed 
by  the  exquisite  purity  and  neatness  of  his  attire,  and 
by  the  spotless  order  of  his  room,  and  for  a  moment 
she  was  silent.  But  as  Whitefield  led  her  to  his  own 
chair,  she  said,  ere  she  sat  down  : 

"  Mr.  Whitefield,  I  am  the  widow  of  Nicholas 
Bouverie,  and  this  is  my  grandson,  Sir  Harry  Cress- 
well." 

"  The  name  of  Nicholas  Bouverie  is  well  known  to 
me,"  answered  Whitefield.  "  It  is  well  known  to  all 
who  honour  large  charity,  wisely  bestowed." 

"  Among  the  Dissenters  it  is  indeed  honoured,  sir." 

Whitefield  smiled  happily.  "  Among  all  who  call 
themselves  after  Christ,"  he  said.  "  Charity  is  above 


146  BERNICIA. 

creed.  Charity  cares  nothing  for  the  penfoldings 
which  sects  hold  so  precious.  I  am  glad  to  see  your 
face.  In  what  way  can  I  be  your  servant  ?  " 

"  Sir,  in  a  matter  of  life  and  death.  My  grandson 
is  under  a  bill  of  attainder  and  outlawry.  He  is  even 
in  your  presence  at  the  peril  of  his  life." 

Then  Whitefield  looked  steadily  at  the  young  man, 
and  Harry  returned  his  gaze  with  a  smiling  confidence. 
The  next  moment  they  had  clasped  hands.  The  act 
came  before  the  thought,  but  both  men  were  satisfied 
with  it. 

"  Your  grandson  is,  then,  one  of  Charles  Stuart's 
victims,"  said  Whitefield,  and  he  grasped  the  situation 
with  a  clearness  and  rapidity  that  left  madame  little  to 
explain.  Yet,  in  that  direct  lauguage  which  was  part 
of  her  character,  she  told,  without  excuses  and  with 
out  comments,  the  story  of  Harry's  mistaken  life. 
Whitefield  was  much  affected  by  it.  "  Sir  Harry's 
fault,"  he  answered,  "  was  committed  while  he  was 
but  a  boy,  and  it  was  really  a  question  of  obedience 
to  his  father  or  of  treason  to  King  George.  There 
are  many  who  would  say  a  son  at  sixteen  years  of  age 
should  obey  his  father  rather  than  honour  the  king." 

"Sir,"  said  Harry,  "I  have  been  with  Charles 
Stuart  since  my  majority,  and  so  have  sanctioned  the 
treason  of  my  boyhood." 

"  My  fault !  "  interrupted  madame.  "  My  fault  en 
tirely.  The  lad  was  without  friends  or  money,  and  I, 
who  ought  to  have  long  ago  devised  means  to  bring 
home  my  banished  boy,  thought  neither  of  his  suffer 
ings  nor  of  his  necessities." 

"  But,  in  this  matter,  how  can  I  help  you  ?  "  asked 
Whitefield.  "  I  go  into  the  king's  closet  with  the 


WILLIAM    BOUVERIES    ANGER.  147 

Word  of  the  Lord.  I  can  carry  with  it  no  meaner 
message.  I  am  a  preacher,  and  no  courtier." 

"  True,"  answered  madame.  "  But  Lady  Chester 
field  is  a  courtier.  She  is  the  king's  sister,  and  her 
words  are  very  weighty  with  him." 

"  And  you  think  that  I  can  persuade  Lady  Chester 
field  to  plead  Sir  Harry  Cresswell's  cause  ?  " 

"  We  think  you  can,  if  you  will  consent  to  do  so." 

"  I  will.  I  will  see  her  this  afternoon.  What  can 
Sir  Harry  Cresswell  do  for  himself  ?" 

"  Nothing." 

"  What  can  you  do  for  him  ? " 

"  I  have  no  worldly  influence  that  can  be  of  service. 
I  can  but  pray." 

"  Well,  madame,  we  fight  and  fail  ;  we  work  and 
lose  our  labour  ;  we  reason,  and  no  one  believes  our 
report  ;  but  the  praying  legions  were  never  yet  known 
to  yield.  Prayer  is  heaven-besieging  and  heaven- 
opening." 

"  I  am  too  weak  for  such  prayer.  My  heart  is  a 
nest  of  doubts  and  fears." 

"  That  is  the  devil.  Let  him  do  his  worst  !  He  is 
only  a  mastiff  chained." 

"  Alas,  that  his  chain  is  so  long  !  He  has  worried 
and  barked  all  over  and  all  through  my  life,  sir." 

"  It  is  his  use  and  wont.  Good  Bishop  Bunyan's 
Pilgrim  found  him  straddling  over  the  whole  breadth 
of  the  way  ;  but,  nevertheless,  he  was  no  match  for 
Christian.  Strengthen  yourself  in  the  Lord.  This 
afternoon  I  will  begin  suit  for  Sir  Harry's  full  pardon 
and  release." 

"  And  if  God's  mercy  fail  not,  you  will  obtain  it." 

"  It   never   fails.     The   end  of  one   mercy    is  the 


148  BERNICIA. 

beginning  of  another,  or  we  should  be  undone.  You 
shall  hear  soon  from  me,  madame,"  and  then  he 
looked  at  Harry  and  said  : 

"  Happy  are  they  who  can  turn  their  double  suffer 
ing  to  double  praise.  While  you  are  yet  young,  sir, 
take  straight  steps  and  stand,  a  man,  in  your  grand 
father's  place."  And,  as  he  held  the  youth's  hand, 
one  all-conquering  glance  of  truth  drew  their  hearts 
together. 

In  promising  to  move  that  afternoon  in  Harry's 
affairs,  Whitefield  had  not  spoken  inconsiderately. 
He  knew  there  was  to  be  a  religious  meeting  at  Lady 
Huntington's,  and  that  Lady  Chesterfield  would  be 
present.  When  her  heart  was  humble  before  a  God 
she  had  offended,  and  tender  in  the  sense  of  his  for 
giveness,  it  would  surely  be  a  good  hour  to  induce 
her  to  ask  mercy  for  Harry  Cresswell.  The  political 
side  of  the  question  seemed  of  small  importance  to 
Whitefield,  for  whatever  he  did,  he  did  for  eternity  ; 
and  its  vastness  absorbed  his  perceptions  of  the 
"  things  that  are  seen."  It  was  not  as  an  adherent  of 
either  Charles  Stuart  or  King  George  that  he  regarded 
Harry,  but  as  a  hopeful  young  soldier  of  the  King  of 
kings.  Saved  from  the  scaffold,  inheriting  the  re 
ligious  tendencies  of  one  side  of  his  family  and  the 
chivalrous  self-sacrifice  of  the  other,  what  great  things 
might  not  be  hoped  from  a  youth  who  had  been  tem 
pered  in  such  stormy  and  sorrowful  scenes  ! 

It  was  thus  he  pleaded  Harry's  cause  with  Lady 
Chesterfield,  and  she  could  not  resist  his  eloquence. 
All  her  arguments,  all  her  reluctances  melted  away  in 
the  fervent  heat  of  Whitefield's  advocacy,  though  she 
said,  with  a  touch  of  irritability  :  "  It  is  useless  to 


WILLIAM  BOUVERIE'S  ANGER.  149 

reason  longer  with  you,  Mr.  Whitefield,  for  in  your 
mind  the  world  above  has  so  completely  displaced  the 
world  below  that  you  never  take  into  account  the 
things  that  relate  to  this  life,  nor  have  you  any  fitness 
for  it." 

Broad  as  was  this  assertion,  it  was  practically  true. 
The  fret  and  folly  of  the  court,  the  anger  or  pleasure 
of  the  king,  were  things  George  Whitefield  did  not  take 
into  account.  It  appeared  to  him  a  heavenly  thing  to 
show  mercy,  and  he  supposed  George  II.  would  be 
glad  of  a  wise  opportunity  to  do  so.  It  was  not  in 
deed  of  intent,  but  of  that  unconscious  wisdom  which 
is  common  to  children  and  good  men,  that  he  finally 
said  the  few  words  which  decided  Lady  Chester 
field.  They  related  to  Madame  Bouverie's  dead 
husband,  and  to  his  munificent  gifts  to  the  city  of 
London. 

At  the  mention  of  these  things,  Lady  Chesterfield 
tapped  her  left  hand  approvingly  with  her  right,  and 
a  smile  of  encouragement  lighted  up  her  grave,  strong 
face.  She  saw  at  once  the  importance  of  this  informa 
tion,  for  she  knew  the  king  was  anxious  to  please  the 
Dissenters,  and  that  he  would  not  be  likely  to  slight 
any  good  opportunity  to  conciliate  so  large  and 
powerful  a  body  of  his  subjects. 

"  This  good  Nicholas  Bouverie,"  she  answered, 
"  will  be  of  great  service  to  his  grandson.  I  think, 
indeed,  Mr.  Whitefield,  that  he  and  you  and  I  are 
sufficient  to  obtain  His  Majesty's  grace.  For  he  is 
in  a  religious  mind  at  present,  and  also  very  favour 
able  to  you,  sir.  Let  me  tell  you,  however,  that  the 
less  said  about  the  Stuarts  the  better." 

"  I  do  not  think  that  the  young  man  has  any  love 


I$0  BERNICIA. 

or  respect  left  for  the  Stuarts.  He  does  not  desire  to 
speak  of  them." 

'*  Oh,  indeed,  I  know  not.  It  is  plain  to  me  that 
even  the  most  sober-minded  Englishmen  dream  as 
Jacobites,  though  they  may  act  as  Hanoverians." 

Moved  by  this  reflection,  Lady  Chesterfield  for 
a  moment  half  repented  herself  of  the  promise  she 
had  made,  and  Whitefield  understood  that  the  subject 
could  not  be  wisely  continued.  He  therefore  turned 
the  conversation  to  the  right  of  sanctuary  in  Westmin 
ster,  and  was  warmly  advocating  its  proposed  aboli 
tion  when  Lady  Huntington  joined  them.  Then 
there  was  a  dish  of  tea,  and  a  hymn  sung,  and  the 
preacher  walked  slowly  in  the  summer  twilight  back 
to  his  lodging. 

He  was  doubtful  of  the  ultimate  success  of  his 
intercession.  Lady  Chesterfield  had  manifested  some 
weariness  and  impatience,  and  he  hardly  dared  to 
hope  the  king  would  accept  the  loyalty  of  the 
Bouveries  as  security  for  the  allegiance  of  the  Cress- 
wells.  The  uncertainty  of  the  affair  depressed  him 
as  he  passed  through  the  dim  streets,  but  when  he 
reached  his  own  room  there  were  candles  burning  on 
the  table,  and  their  light  fell  upon  the  white  pages  of 
his  Bible.  Then  he  smiled  at  his  fears,  and  he  sat 
down  and  laid  his  hand  broadly  across  the  open  book. 
It  was  an  actual  and  tangible  reassurance  to  him. 

"  My  Lady  Chesterfield  was  soon  weary  of  poor 
Cresswell's  affairs,"  he  said,  "  but  I  cannot  weary  the 
Great  Advocate.  It  was  not  to  the  anxious  and 
sorrowful  he  forbade  '  repetitions.'  She  counted  back 
also  to  the  sins  of  the  young  man's  fathers,  but  God 
never  yet  said  to  a  suppliant,  'Whose  son  art  thou  ?' 


WILLIAM    BOUVERIE  S    ANGER.  151 

So  then,  I  will  venture  all  on  God,  for  he  is  sufficient 
for  all." 

Humanity,  however,  is  capable  of  giving  us  agree 
able  surprises.  On  the  third  day  after  this  interview, 
Whitefield  received  the  following  letter  from  Lady 
Chesterfield  : 

DEAR  MR.  WHITEFIELD  : 

The  king  has  listened  very  graciously  to  my  entreaties  regard 
ing  young  Cresswell  ;  and  instructions  to  set  aside  the  bill  of 
attainder  against  him  have  been  sent  to  the  secretary  on  such 
affairs.  But  it  will  be  well  to  have  the  king's  grace  publicly  con 
firmed  by  Cresswell's  personal  homage  to  His  Majesty  ;  therefore 
bring  him  to-morrow  to  St.  James's  Palace  about  the  hour  of  noon. 
Colonel  Lacy  has  promised  to  meet  you  at  the  brick  gateway,  and 
to  be  your  introduction  to  the  presence  chamber.  I  shall  enter 
with  the  king,  and  you  may  rely  on  my  seconding  any  reasonable 
advances,  for  you  must  understand,  sir,  that  as  regards  Cresswell's 
estate,  much  will  depend  upon  this  interview.  I  hear  there  is 
but  bad  news  from  Ashley,  and  that  Lady  Huntington  has  gone 
there  in  haste. 

Remember  in  your  prayers, 

Your  willing  servant,  for  Christ's  sake, 

MELUSINA  CHESTERFIELD. 

This  letter  was  put  into  Whitefield's  hand  just  as 
he  was  preparing  to  go  to  Kennington  Common,  but 
he  hastily  wrote  some  further  instructions  to  Harry 
and  sent  them  by  a  messenger.  Then  in  a  kind  of 
exaltation  he  hastened  to  his  appointment.  Thou 
sands  were  sitting  on  the  grass  waiting  for  his  words, 
and  he  stood  up  in  their  midst  and  spoke  until  the 
the  twilight  and  the  moonlight  blended.  In  that 
mystical  glow  his  tall,  impassioned  figure  realised 
every  conception  of  a  man  of  God,  as  he  reasoned  of 
righteousness,  temperance,  and  judgment  to  -come, 


152  BERNICIA. 

until  he  was  borne  away  with  his  hearers  in  one  deep 
flood  of  rapturous  adoration. 

In  Bloomsbury  Square  Lady  Chesterfield's  letter 
did  not  find  such  favourable  conditions.  William 
Bouverie  was  in  his  private  room  ;  Claire  visiting 
a  maid  who  was  sick  in  the  upper  part  of  the  house  ; 
and  George  Abney  just  leaving  for  a  debating  society 
of  which  he  was  a  member.  Harry  accompanied  him 
to  the  door,  and  then  stood  a  while  on  the  upper  step, 
looking  wistfully  into  the  world.  He  was  thinking 
how  much  better  it  might  be  to  throw  all  the  past 
behind  him  and  begin  life  anew  in  the  American 
colonies,  when  Whitefield's  messenger  gave  him  the 
letter.  He  read  it,  and  to  his  own  great  amazement 
felt  no  elation  ;  but  rather  a  composure  that  was 
almost  indifference.  The  mood  was  a  natural  re 
action,  but  he  did  not  understand  it  in  this  light ;  he 
simply  wondered  at  his  sudden  depression,  and  then 
hastened  to  the  parlour  to  tell  the  news  to  madame. 

Madame  also  had  a  letter  in  her  hand.  It  was  from 
Bernicia  ;  and  the  girl  had  enclosed  in  it  a  few  stars 
of  woodruff.  Their  delicious  perfume  was  a  delight 
to  madame,  and  she  was  fingering  the  dainty  stems 
with  a  smile  as  Harry  approached  her.  Ere  she 
could  speak  he  was  at  her  knees  reading  to  her  the 
happy  words.  Then  she  clasped  his  face  between 
her  hands  and  kissed  him  ;  and  the  woodruff  stars 
dropped  from  her  fingers,  but  their  heavenly  fragrance 
scented  the  memory  of  those  moments  forever. 

At  madame's  age,  however,  joy  wearies,  even  while 
it  exhilarates,  and  she  soon  felt  a  longing  for  that 
solitude  where  only  God  is ;  so  Harry  was  left 
alone  in  the  dim  parlour  with  his  good  news.  It  was 


WILLIAM  BOUVERIE'S  ANGER.  153 

not  until  Claire  returned  to  the  room  that  he  realised 
how  great  a  part  she  had  in  his  anxieties  and  hopes. 
Claire  had  been  latterly  shy  and  reserved,  and  Harry's 
dreams  of  the  American  colonies  had  been  far  more 
induced  by  this  fact  than  by  the  uncertainties  of  his 
position.  When  she  perceived  that  madame  had 
retired  she  became  instantly  fluttered  and  nervous  ; 
and,  with  some  remark  about  a  lost  thimble,  was  going 
to  leave  the  room  again.  But  Harry  intercepted  her. 
He  showed  her  the  letters  from  Lady  Chesterfield  and 
George  Whitefield,  and  without  further  explanations 
said  : 

"  The  king  has  pardoned  me  !  I  am  to  see  him 
to-morrow.  Oh,  Claire  !  Claire  !  the  king  may  give 
me  life,  but  you  alone  can  make  life  worth  living. 
Claire,  speak  to  me.  Say  one  word  and  I  will  fall  at 
your  feet !  Do  not  go  away  from  me.  Sweet  Claire  ! 
say  one  word,  or  my  joy  will  be  turned  into  sorrow." 

She  stood  before  him,  blushing  and  trembling  ;  a 
little  woman  transfigured  by  an  emotion  she  scarcely 
dared  to  acknowledge  ;  and  too  shy  to  lift  the  love-lit 
eyes  that  would  else  have  betrayed  her  secret.  Sweetly 
silent,  yet  tremulous  with  a  rapture  never  felt  before, 
she  must  speedily  have  yielded  a  confession  to  Harry's 
exigent  importunity  had  not  William  Bouverie  inter 
rupted  his  suit.  He  came  in  for  the  usual  evening 
prayers,  his  mind  still  struggling  with  the  worldly 
matters  he  was  trying  to  forget.  A  glance  at  Harry 
and  Claire  was  sufficient.  He  knew  instantly  that 
one  of  the  dearest  projects  of  his  life  was  in  danger, 
and  a  sudden  and  uncontrollable  anger  overruled 
both  reason  and  feeling. 

"  Ingrate  !  "   he  cried,  as  he  stepped  passionately 


154  BERNICIA, 

between  the  lovers.  "  Traitor  and  ingrate  a  thousand 
times  ! " 

Harry  met  the  accusation  with  an  indignant  protest. 

"  I  have  done  nothing  a  gentleman  may  not  do." 

"  A  palpable  lie,  sir !  You  are  making  love  to 
Claire  !  Yet  you  know  that  she  is  a  great  heiress,  that 
she  is  my  ward,  and  the  promised  wife  of  another 
man." 

"  I  know  nothing  about  Claire's  money  ;  and  if  she 
was  the  king's  ward,  what  is  that  to  me  ?  As  for  her 
dead  father's  promise  to  another  man,  I  shall  seek  from 
her  own  lips  the  word  that  will  make  her  mine." 

"  I  gave  you  shelter  at  the  risk  of  my  reputation 
and  my  estate,  and  you  repay  me  by  stealing  the 
most  precious  thing  in  my  house.  In  the  same  fashion 
your  father  stole  away  my  sister  Frances  !  " 

"  My  father  and  my  mother  have  passed  beyond 
your  judgment,  sir." 

"  You  are  right  so  far.  In  all  other  respects  you 
are  wrong,  and  you  know  it." 

"  I  know  that  I  love  Claire,  and  that  right  or 
wrong,  I  will  try  to  win  her  !  " 

"Your  presumption  is  incredibly  wicked.  Land 
less,  homeless,  nameless,  what  will  you  give  her  in 
exchange  ?  Your  poverty  and  your  misfortunes  ?  I 
am  confounded  by  your  impertinent  conceit,  sir  !  In 
short,  there  is  an  end  to  the  subject.  You  shall  see 
Claire  no  more  !  " 

"  That  is  as  may  be.  I  am  confounded,  uncle,  by 
your  want  of  generosity.  What  right  have  you  to 
insult  me  for  my  poverty  and  reproach  me  for  my 
misfortunes  ?  " 

At  this  moment  madame  entered   the  room.     She 


WILLIAM    BOUVERIE  S    ANGER.  155 

was  in  a  temper  quite  equal  to  her  son's,  but  she  had 
it  better  under  control ;  and  her  enforced  calmness 
not  only  gave  her  an  air  of  invincible  authority,  but 
also  cooled  the  quarrelling  men  like  a  blast  of  icy 
wind.  She  advanced  with  a  deliberate  resolution  and 
laid  her  hand  upon  her  son's  arm. 

"  William,"  she  said,  "  it  is  time  for  prayer,  and  I 
find  you  wrangling  with  Harry  on  your  own  hearth 
stone." 

"  Look  you,  mother,  you  do  not  know  all." 

"  Claire  has  told  me." 

"  Harry  has  been  making  love  to  Claire  !  " 

"  I  dare  say  !  they  are  both  of  a  piece.  Claire 
doubtless  has  been  making  love  to  Harry." 

"  It  is  impossible  !  " 

"'Tis  quite  possible.  'Tis  almost  certain.  Take 
my  word  for  it." 

"  Claire  is  already  engaged.  She  is  incapable  of 
coquetry  ! " 

"  Pho,  pho  !  No  woman  is.  Every  word  to  the 
contrary  is  a  pack  of  nonsense.  Be  silent,  William, 
until  you  can  be  reasonable.  And  supposing  Harry 
has  been  making  love  to  Claire,  what  then  ?  Claire 
is  much  honoured  in  his  devotion." 

"  I  pray  you,  mother,  to  have  some  regard  for  my 
feelings.  Consider  Claire's  great  wealth." 

"Consider  Harry's  noble  birth." 

"  Tush/" 

"  William  !  " 

"  Pardon  my  passion,  mother.  I  am  forced  also  to 
remember  my  nephew's  disgrace  and  poverty." 

"  Harry  is  no  longer  in  disgrace  and  poverty." 

"  Had  my  uncle  given  me  time 


156  BERNICIA. 

"  I  am  speaking  for  you,  Harry.  If  your  uncle  had 
given  you  time  he  would  have  heard  that  the  king  had 
pardoned  you."  Then  again  addressing  her  son,  she 
added  :  "Any  Christian  man  would  rejoice  in  this 
news.  I  say  *  Christian,'  William,  hoping  that  you  are 
one." 

"  If  the  news  be  true,  I  am  glad  of  it  for  Harry's 
sake.  It  does  not  alter  matters  at  all,  regarding 
Claire.  Her  father  left  positive  instructions  for  her 
marriage  with  Mr.  Hutton's  son,  and  I  shall  see  that 
she  carries  them  out  to  the  last  letter.  We  want " 

"  We  want  nothing  to-night  but  a  little  decent 
thankfulness  and  six-penny  worth  of  common  sense. 
I  consider  this  an  unnecessary  and  unpleasant  conver 
sation,  and  I  care  not  how  soon  I  finish  it.  Give  me 
your  arm,  son  William,  I  will  go  to  my  chair  now  ;  and 
you,  Harry,  ring  for  the  men  and  maids.  They  are 
waiting  to  pray,  and  we  are  preventing  them  by  our 
disputing." 

And  as  the  stern  law  of  duty  was  an  ever-present 
consciousness  to  William  Bouverie,  he  fulfilled  with 
out  remark  all  that  pertained  to  it ;  all  that  the  hour 
demanded.  But  though  he  selected  the  psalm  of 
gratitude  suitable  to  the  occasion,  and  the  hymn 
madame  specially  approved,  he  was  sensible  that  every 
nobler  feeling  of  his  nature  had  "  undergone  the 
earth,"  and  as  soon  as  possible  he  went  away  to  the 
covert  of  his  private  parlour.  For  he  was  deeply 
wounded  by  his  mother's  attitude.  All  his  life  long 
he  had  served  her  faithfully,  and  never  at  any  time 
grieved  her,  and  yet  when  it  had  come  to  an  issue 
of  such  gravity,  she  had  pointedly  and  passionately 
espoused  the  cause  of  his  opponent,  a  youth  whom  she 


WILLIAM    BOUVERIE-S    ANGER.  157 

had  known  but  a  few  weeks,  and  who  had,  even  within 
their  short  space,  given  her  many  disappointments  and 
anxieties. 

For  two  hours  he  sat  rigid,  his  face  sternly  set, 
his  eyes  heavy  with  tears.  Then  he  heard  George 
return,  and  he  called  the  young  man  to  him,  and  they 
talked  over  the  affair  until  the  early  summer  dawn 
began  to  break.  William  Bouverie  pointed  it  out,  and 
rose  with  a  great  sigh. 

"  George,"  he  said,  "if  I  were  punished  for  my  faults 
as  severely  as  I  am  generally  punished  for  my  kind 
deeds,  I  should  be  one  of  the  most  unhappy  of 
mortals." 

This  reflection  sprang  from  a  heartache,  for  he  was 
learning  a  lesson  usually  studied  under  a  sense  of 
wrong  or  injustice,  that  kindness  begins  in  purpose,  but 
that  love  is  of  pure  favour,  often  given  without  rea 
son  or  desert  ;  reaping  where  it  has  not  sowed,  and 
gathering  where  it  has  no  right,  but  that  of  partiality 
and  grace. 

George  considered  the  desponding  words  for  a  few 
moments,  then  looked  up  at  the  brightening  east. 

"  Sir,"  he  answered  cheerfully,  "  it  is  a  divine  neces 
sity  to  love,  and  we  do  kindness  for  God's  sake,  hoping 
for  nothing  again,  and  Dr.  Young  is  surely  right  in 
saying  : 

"  '  It  never  was  loving  that  emptied  the  heart, 
Nor  giving  that  emptied  the  purse.'  " 

William  Bouverie  took  the  words  into  his  own 
troubled  heart,  and  the  men  parted  with  a  smile. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

HARRY'S  PARDON. 

AT  eleven  o'clock  next  morning  Harry  was  at  Mr. 
Whiteneld's  lodging.  He  found  the  preacher  dressed 
in  full  canonicals,  waiting  for  him,  and  he  was  much 
impressed  with  the  dignity  which  the  black  silk  gown, 
the  lawn  sleeves  and  bands,  and  the  close  white  wig 
imparted  to  his  tall  figure  and  beautiful  countenance. 

The  morning  was  dull  and  gray,  and  exceedingly 
sultry,  and  the  premonitory  hush  of  a  coming  storm 
was  noticeable  in  the  depression  of  the  usually  noisy 
streets.  Fortunately,  the  rain  did  not  begin  to  fall 
until  they  were  within  the  great  court  next  to  Pall 
Mall.  Here,  at  the  head  of  the  grand  staircase  leading 
to  the  rooms  of  state,  they  were  met  by  one  of  the 
lord  chamberlains,  who  led  them  past  the  guardroom, 
and  so  to  the  privy  chamber,  where  he  said  His 
Majesty  would  presently  come. 

There  were  a  few  nobles  in  waiting,  but  the  gloom 
of  the  storm,  which  had  now  broken,  was  so  great  that 
they  looked  more  like  the  phantoms  of  a  dream  than 
living  men.  In  the  vivid  lightning  their  swords  and 
glittering  stars,  and  buckles,  and  orders  flashed  and 
darkened  ;  but  their  stolid  silence  and  the  clamour 
of  the  elements  without  gave  them  an  air  of  mys 
tery,  unhappy  and  unfriendly.  Only  Mr.  Whitefield 
seemed  superior  to  their  surroundings,  and  it  was  well 

.58 


HARRY'S  PARDON.  159 

for  Harry  that  he  was  in  touch  with  a  spirit  so  cour 
ageous,  so  serene,  and  so  hopeful. 

The  delay  was  not  really  long  but  the  minutes  were 
heavy  with  anxiety,  and  Harry  was  thankful  when  the 
stir  of  the  royal  advent  became  evident.  The  king 
entered  abruptly,  walking  with  a  short,  dignified  step, 
and  showing  on  his  frowning,  florid  face  decided  signs 
of  annoyance  ;  for  the  storm  had  interfered  with  his 
usual  walk,  and  George  II.  liked  to  do  the  same 
tilings,  at  the  same  hour,  every  day  of  his  life. 

He  was  accompanied  by  the  Princess  Amelia,  the 
Duke  of  Newcastle,  Lady  Chesterfield,  and  a  few 
officers  of  the  household  ;  and  as  all  of  them  had  been 
made  to  bear  a  share  of  the  king's  chagrin,  the 
appearance  of  the  group  was  not  cheering.  Lady 
Chesterfield,  however,  in  passing  Whitefield,  gave  him 
a  glance  full  of  encouragement — a  glance  also  convey 
ing  a  need  for  expedition,  which  was  rendered  intelli 
gible  by  his  previous  conversation  with  her.  For  she 
had  then  said,  "  Remember,  if  this  matter  ever  come 
to  handkissing,  His  Majesty  will  brook  no  delays 
and  no  explanations." 

As  soon  therefore  as  the  king  had  taken  his  seat 
under  the  canopy,  Mr.  Whitefield  and  Harry  advanced. 
Harry,  as  a  suppliant,  knelt  at  a  little  distance  from 
the  chair,  Mr.  Whitefield  standing  at  his  side.  The 
king  immediately  addressed  Mr.  Whitefield. 

"  How  do  you  do,  sir  ?  It  is  a  big  storm.  Who  is 
this  young  man  that  you  bring  to  me  ?  " 

"  Sire,  it  is  the  grandson  of  your  liege  servant  the 
late  Nicholas  Bouverie.  The  young  man  has  no 
earthly  hope  but  in  your  mercy.  For  Christ's  sake, 
then,  have  mercy  upon  him." 


l6o  BERNICIA. 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  have  heard.  I  have  heard  a  great  deal 
about  the  grandson  of  this  Nicholas  Bouverie."  Then 
addressing  Harry,  he  inquired  sharply  : 

"  What  is  your  name  ?  " 

"If  it  please  your  Majesty,  my  name  is  Harry 
Cress  well." 

"  Where  was  your  estate  ? " 

"  In  Northumberland,  sire." 

"  When  was  it  granted  to  your  family  ? " 

"  King  Stephen  enfeoffed  my  ancestor  on  the  battle 
field,  sire." 

For  a  moment  King  George  steadily  regarded 
the  kneeling  youth.  The  mention  of  King  Stephen 
and  the  battlefield  did  more  for  him  than  the  charity 
and  loyalty  of  Nicholas  Bouverie  ;  for  George  had 
himself  borne  arms,  and  borne  them  bravely  ;  and  this 
suppliant  youth  was  a  soldier.  Some  subtle  fellow- 
feeling  touched  the  sovereign's  sentimental  heart. 
He  looked  down  at  his  sword,  and  then  his  glance 
wandered  to  the  nobles,  who  were  intently  watching 
the  scene.  Instantly  every  hand  was  at  a  hilt,  but  it 
was  Lord  Rashleigh  who  first  flashed  his  blade  from 
its  scabbard,  and  taking  it  by  the  point,  presented  it 
to  the  king.  There  was  a  slight  movement,  and  then 
the  royal  words  of  pardon  : 

"  Rise,  Sir  Harry  Cresswell !  " 

"God  save  King  George!"  cried  Harry,  standing 
up  with  a  happy  face.  The  king  gave  him  his  hand 
to  kiss,  and  then  went  quickly  into  an  adjoining  draw 
ing-room. 

The  dreaded  interview  was  over,  and  Harry 
looked  at  Mr.  Whitefield  with  a  gratitude  neither  the 
place  nor  his  own  feelings  permitted  him  to  fully 


HARRY'S  PARDON.  161 

express.  For  they  lingered  in  the  stately  presence 
chamber  until  the  storm  had  passed,  and  a  glint  of 
watery  sunshine  picked  out  gloriously  the  gilded 
initials  of  Henry  and  Anne  Boleyn,  above  the  great 
chimney-piece.  In  the  carriage  it  was  possible  to 
speak  freely,  and  more  than  once  Harry  was  on  the 
point  of  losing  control  of  himself  in  the  natural  emo 
tion  that  surged  within  him  for  expression.  Had  he 
been  alone,  he  would  doubtless  have  wept  with  all 
the  abandonment  of  a  boy  ;  for  the  sense  of  relief 
was,  at  first,  almost  painful.  His  wise  friend  under 
stood  this.  He  made  no  "  opportunity  "  of  the  occa 
sion,  nor  did  he  remind  him  of  his  obligations.  But 
he  did  remember  that  Harry  had  neither  eaten  nor 
drank  that  day,  and  he  compelled  him  to  rest  half  an 
hour  in  his  room  and  take  some  refreshment. 

Harry  was  then  able  to  talk  with  composure,  and  he 
desired  to  walk  back  to  Bloomsbury,  for  he  longed  to 
be  in  motion,  and  was  sure  the  confinement  of  a  car 
riage  would  irritate  him.  But  Whitefield  was  not  in 
clined  to  sanction  this  quick  exposure  of  his  person. 
"  Your  pardon  is  not  two  hours  old,"  he  said  ;  "  it 
will  not  be  known  to  the  general  public  until  the 
newspapers  make  it  so  ;  if  then  you  have  any  enemy, 
he  may  yet  take  advantage  of  your  past." 

"  I  have  but  one  enemy  in  the  world,"  answered 
Harry,  "  and  I  am  thankful  to  say  he  is  safe  in  the 
Fleet  prison." 

This  remark  elicited  the  whole  story  of  Allan  Cress- 
well's  treachery  ;  and  Harry  told  it  with  a  freely 
expressed  and  contemptuous  animosity.  Frequently 
Whitefield  looked  at  the  young  man,  and  on  the 
preacher's  face  there  was  a  look  of  mingled  sorrow  and 


162  BERNICIA. 

anger.  Finally,  he  stooped  to  the  Bible  that  lay  open 
on  the  table,  and  began  rapidly  to  turn  its  leaves.  The 
action  was  not  sympathetic,  and  Harry  brought  his 
story  to  a  close,  and  rose  to  depart.  Then  Whitefield 
said  to  him  : 

"  Sir  Harry  Cresswell,  there  was  in  old  Jerusalem  a 
man  who  owed  ten  thousand  talents,  and  because  he 
had  nothing  to  pay  " — here  he  lifted  the  Bible  and 
began  to  read  from  it — "  '  The  Lord  of  that  servant 
was  moved  with  compassion,  and  loosed  him,  and  for 
gave  him  the  debt.  But  the  same  servant  went  out, 
and  found  one  of  his  fellow  servants  which  owed  him 
a  hundred  pence,  and  he  laid  hands  on  him,  and  took 
him  by  the  throat,  saying,  Pay  me  that  thou  owest.'  " 

"Sir,"  answered  Harry,   "I   thank   you." 

There  was  no  advice  given  and  no  promise  made, 
but  each  felt  that  of  a  certainty  there  would  soon 
be  one  prisoner  less  in  the  gloomy  old  prison. 

Harry  had  thought  he  would  like  to  walk  to 
Bloomsbury,  but,  once  on  the  way  there,  he  found 
that  even  two  horses  did  not  take  him  fast  enough. 
The  memory  of  Claire,  as  he  had  seen  her  for  one 
moment  the  previous  night,  filled  him  with  a  joy  that 
would  not  brook  patience,  and  the  words  he  intended 
to  say  to  her  went  through  his  heart  like  wine.  Now 
also,  that  he  was  quite  alone,  he  began  to  realise 
the  wonderful  transition  in  his  circumstances.  He 
had  come  out  from  the  shadow  of  death  ;  he  was 
noble,  and  not  an  alien  ;  he  was  rich,  and  not  poor  ; 
he  might  woo  the  girl  he  loved  without  fear  and 
without  favour.  He  could  not  reason  about  these 
things  ;  he  could  only  feel  them,  and  he  was  soon  in  a 
state  of  mental  intoxication.  But  what  of  that  ?  Is 


HARRY'S  PARDON.  163 

not  the  folly  of  the  passions  often  more  lovable  and 
tolerable  than  the  wisdom  of  repose  and  prudence  ? 

The  first  sign  of  his  condition  was  the  frantic  speed 
to  which  he  urged  the  driver.  Claire,  who  had  been 
walking  monotonously  up  and  down  her  room  for 
hours,  heard  the  gallop  of  the  horses  and  the  impa 
tient  summons  at  the  closed  door,  and  divined  what 
it  meant.  The  great  suspense  was  over,  and  she 
threw  herself  upon  her  bed  and  wept  for  joy. 
Madame,  listening  with  beating  heart,  had  the  same 
conviction  ;  she  trembled,  and  could  not  rise,  though 
she  desired  to  do  so.  In  a  few  moments,  Harry 
was  holding  her  hands,  and  she  was  drinking  in  his 
exclamations  and  his  enthusiasm. 

"  I  am  my  own  man  again  !  I  am  free  ;  I  am 
happy  !  I  am  Sir  Harry  Cresswell,  re-enfeoffed  by  the 
king's  grace.  God  save  the  king  !  "  And  between 
every  sentence  he  kissed  away  the  tears  of  joy  that 
wet  her  cheeks. 

"  But  where  is  Claire  ?  Claire  !  Claire  !  "  he  called, 
and  then  became  silent,  and  looked  around  the  room, 
with  a  face  suddenly  fallen  and  disconsolate.  "  Where 
is  Claire,  dear  grandmother  ?  " 

"  You  cannot  see  Claire.  She  has  orders  to  remain 
in  her  room  until  you  leave  the  house.  Ah,  child,  no 
cup  of  joy  is  without  its  bitter  drop  !  " 

"  On  my  soul,  it  is  too  bad  !  'Tis  a  cruel  order, 
and  my  uncle  is  a  cruel  fellow  to  give  it.  This  is  the 
only  happy  day  I  have  known  for  years,  and  he  turns 
its  joy  into  sorrow.  Send  for  Claire  !  " 

"  I  have  not  the  power." 

"  I  will  write  her  a  letter." 

"  It  cannot  be  given  to  her." 


164  BERNICIA. 

"  My  uncle  takes  this  way  to  bid  me  leave  his 
house  ? " 

"  It  is  true.  But  you  have  now  your  own  house, 
and  the  sooner  you  go  to  Cresswell  the  better." 

"  I  shall  not  go  to  Cresswell  until  I  have  seen 
Claire.  Will  you  tell  her  all  I  have  told  you  ?  " 

"Surely  I  will." 

'  'Tis  a  sad  ending  to  a  glad  hour.  Only  you  are 
faithful  to  me.  George  has  of  late  been  cold  and  shy, 
and  last  night  my  uncle  was  both  insulting  and  cruel. 
It  is  time  I  went.  Do  not  cry,  dear.  I  wonder  not 
at  the  parting  ;  the  wonder  is,  we  have  lived  so  long 
together." 

"  Where  are  you  going,  Harry  ?  " 

"  First  of  all,  to  my  sisters.  Fanny  will  tell  me  of 
a  proper  inn." 

"  Very  good.  But  you  must  have  money  for  your 
expenses.  Lawyers  and  commissioners  will  be  to  pay. 
You  will  have  fees  and  vails  to  give.  You  will  have 
clothing  to  buy,  and  a  thousand  necessities  that  only 
gold  can  meet.  My  child,  I  am  your  banker.  Here  is 
five  hundred  pounds  for  your  present  requirements. 
No  thanks,  no  thanks  !  Your  happiness  is  sufficient." 

"  My  dear  grandmother,  my  dear  mother  !  " 

"  My  dear  child  !  You  are  the  last  and  sweetest 
love  of  my  life."  She  stroked  his  hair,  she  kissed 
him  fondly,  and  then  bade  him  throw  his  large 
cloak  over  his  court  suit,  and  hasten  to  his  sisters. 
"  Someone,"  she  said,  "  will  have  carried  the  news  to 
Richmond,  and  they  will  be  impatient  to  see  you." 

"And  Claire?" 

"  Claire  will  come  to  me  when  you  are  gone.  She 
will  weep,  I  dare  say,  but  I  shall  try  to  comfort  her. 


HARRY'S  PARDON.  165 

I  will  tell  her  how  handsome  you  look,  how  gracious 
the  king  was,  and " 

"  And  how  broken-hearted  I  am.  And  how  entirely 
I  love  her.  And  that  I  will  make  ways  and  means  to 
see  her,  though  I  die  for  it.  And  that  I  shall  feel  the 
want  of  her,  in  every  hour  of  my  life,-  in  all  my  joys 
and  in  all  my  pains,  whether  I  wake  or  sleep  !  " 

"  I  promise  not  so  much,  Harry.     Why  ask  it  ?  " 

"  Because  I  am  no  longer  myself  without  Claire. 
Indeed,  I  cannot,  cannot  go  without  seeing  her." 

"  You  may  go  at  once,  for  you  will  not  at  this  time 
see  her.  The  force  of  circumstances  is  against  you, 
Harry,  and  resistance  to  that  force  is  vain.  Good-bye, 
my  child.  If  your  dear  name  comes,  even  by  chance, 
to  my  lips,  I  shall  say,  *  May  it  be  blessed  ! '  How 
will  you  go  to  Richmond  ? " 

"  The  carriage  is  waiting.  It  will  take  me  to  the 
Arundel  stairs,  and  a  couple  of  oars  will  shortly  pull 
me  to  Richmond." 

"  Then  again,  good-bye,  Harry.  Always  be  loving 
and  true  and  brave  ;  "  and  a  tender  light  from  under 
her  wet  eyelashes  shone  upon  him  until  he  passed 
out  of  sight. 

At  that  hour  madame  suffered  a  fresh  bereavement. 
The  splendid  house  was  cold  and  silent,  and  life  itself 
was  empty  and  dark  without  Harry.  But  Harry,  in  spite 
of  his  disappointment  concerning  Claire,  was  glowing 
with  a  constantly  increasing  excitement.  Everything 
was  beautiful,  wonderful,  full  of  joy,  and  the  promise 
of  joy.  The  lonely,  bloody  memories  of  the  past  ; 
the  base  ingratitude,  "  the  slings  and  arrows  of  out 
rageous  fortune,"  the  shames  of  poverty,  the  fears  of 
death,  all  the  black  shadows  of  his  miserable  youth, 


l66  BERNICIA. 

were  gone  forever.  The  sun  was  shining  gloriously ; 
the  gay  city  full  of  life  and  stir.  The  sounds  of  traffic 
and  travel  and  pleasure  filled  his  ears.  Fair  ladies 
caught  a  glimpse  of  his  smiling  face,  and  smiled  as 
they  passed  him.  He  was  so  happy  that  he  saw  noth 
ing  but  happiness  wherever  he  went. 

The  city  also  seemed  to  have  burst  into  singing. 
Street  hucksters  of  all  kinds  were  singing  their  wares. 
Chairmen,  waiting  to  be  hired,  were  singing  ;  porters, 
with  their  burdens  on  their  shoulders,  were  singing ; 
watermen  on  the  river  stairs,  waiting  for  the  cry  of 
"  First  Oars,"  were  singing,  and  it  was  the  same 
simple,  merry  little  melody.  Harry  caught  its  music 
as  he  passed  along  and  wrote  it  on  his  heart.  It 
seemed  a  part  of  his  happiness,  or,  at  least,  an  acci 
dental  that  fitted  into  it. 

Going  up  the  river  he  met  many  pleasure  barges 
with  tilts  of  canvas  or  of  green-  boughs.  They  were 
full  of  merry  company  ;  and  the  music  of  their  flutes, 
and  fiddles,  and  voices  followed  Harry  all  the  way. 
It  was  a  fairy  scene,  an  enchanted  journey,  and  he 
was  like  one  who  dreamed,  until  the  oars  stopped  at 
the  wharf  belonging  to  Wildermere  House.  "  A  crown, 
sir !  a  crown,  sir  !  "  cried  the  boatmen,  and  Harry 
answered,  "  I  will  break  no  gold  this  day  ;  a  sovereign 
is  little  enough."  The  men  laughed  boisterously  in 
their  pleasant  surprise  and  put  off  the  boat,  crying 
back  their  thanks,  and  so  down  the  river  with  a 
roar  of  song  about  "  the  girls  in  our  town." 

Harry  found  himself  on  a  gravelled  walk  shaded  by 
hazel  bushes  and  bordered  with  London  pride  and 
polyanthus.  It  led  him  into  a  garden  which  might 
have  been  brought  from  Holland — a  garden  of  pyram- 


HARRY'S  PARDON.  167 

idal  yews  and  treillages  of  square  cradle  walks,  with 
windows  clipped  in  them ;  of  brilliant  flowers  and 
great  green  beds  of  mint,  and  thyme,  and  camomile. 
A  house  of  white  stucco  with  Ionic  pillars  and  a  wide 
portico  was  soon  visible,  and  as  he  came  near  to  it  he 
heard  the  sound  of  clinking  glass  and  of  merry  con 
versation,  and  saw  through  the  open  windows  Lord 
Pomfret  and  his  sisters  Fanny  and  Bernicia.  He 
heard  Bernicia  cry  "  Harry !  "  He  leaped  the  low 
window  sill,  and  the  next  moment  Lady  Pomfret  was 
embracing  him.  Indeed,  there  was  such  a  tumult  of 
rejoicing  that  he  could  not  at  once  realise  it.  Lord 
Pomfret  was  calling  for  more  wine  and  another  ser 
vice  ;  Lord  Rashleigh  was  on  his  feet  with  a  shout  of 
welcome,  and  the  great  beauty,  Miss  Arabella  Damer, 
was  raining  sympathetic  smiles  and  vowing  to  Lord 
Rashleigh  "  that  she  envied  his  sisters  most  com 
pletely." 

"  You  are  the  hero  of  the  day,  Harry  !  "  cried  Lady 
Pomfret,  and  she  kissed  him  again  and  wept  a  little, 
then  laughed  at  herself  for  weeping. 

"  Upon  my  word  you  are  the  fashion,  sir ! "  laughed 
Lord  Rashleigh.  "  I  would  gladly  be  a  rebel  myself 
to  be  so  sweetly  forgiven." 

Then  Harry  bowed  as  well  as  his  sister's  clinging 
affection  would  permit,  and  answered  joyfully,  "  Ten 
thousand  thanks,  my  lord,  for  the  honour  you  did  me 
this  morning.  In  faith,  I  shall  feel  your  sword  on  my 
shoulder  as  long  as  I  live,  for  its  touch  went  to  my 
heart." 

"  Look  you,  Fanny,"  interrupted  Lord  Pomfret. 
"  here  is  a  hot  dish  or  two,  and  fresh  bottles  of  port 
and  pomard.  Let  the  young  man  eat  and  drink. 


l68  BERNICIA. 

I'll    warrant   it    will    suit    his   stomach   better   than 
kisses." 

"  Fie  !  fie  !  my  lord,"  said  Miss  Damer,  affecting  a 
pretty  anger ;  but  she  made  room  for  Harry  at  her 
side,  and  he  was  glad  of  the  hot  dishes  and  wine,  and 
ate,  and  drank,  and  talked,  while  the  ladies  smiled 
and  adored  him,  and  the  gentlemen  questioned  and 
passed  the  bottle. 

Now  there  are  fortunate  moments  in  which  mortals 
do  and  say  precisely  the  right  thing,  and  Harry, 
following  the  impulse  of  a  generous  and  grateful 
nature,  found  such  a  happy  time.  For  when  Lord 
Pomfret  called  fresh  glasses  to  toast  the  new  baronet, 
Harry  said  : 

"  Good,  my  dear  brother,  but  first  let  us  drink  to 
the  king,  and  then  we  will  drink  to  Mr.  Whitefield,  and 
afterward  I  shall  find  more  honour  than  I  deserve." 
And  Lord  Pomfret  was  delighted  with  the  loyalty  and 
modesty  of  his  proposal.  So  they  stood  up  to  drink 
the  king's  health,  and  then  to  Mr.  Whitefield's  name. 
Harry  told  the  story  of  Madame  Bouverie's  interces 
sion  and  the  quick  sympathy  and  ready  help  of  the 
preacher. 

As  he  did  so  a  gentler  spirit  quieted  the  company. 
Bernicia  and  Lord  Rashleigh  looked  thoughtful,  Lady 
Fanny  sighed,  and  Miss  Damer  said,  "  it  was  a  mercy 
she  was  not  in  the  way  to  meet  that  heavenly  Mr. 
Whitefield,  or  she  would  certainly  turn  Methodist," 
while  Lord  Pomfret  sipped  his  wine  and  explained 
how  the  king  two  weeks  gone  had  nearly  choked  to 
death  with  an  imposthume,  which  had  broken  favour 
ably  while  Mr.  Whitefield  was  in  the  royal  bed-chamber, 
and  thus  His  Majesty  was  yet  in  a  religious  mood  and 


HARRY'S  PARDON.  169 

kindly  disposed  to  Mr.  Whitefield,  so  that  Sir  Harry, 
he  concluded,  "  could  not  have  chosen  a  luckier  time 
nor  a  more  powerful  friend." 

Thus  quite  unwittingly  the  good  name  sobered  the 
company,  and  they  rose  from  the  table  and  looked 
out  into  the  garden,  which  in  the  warm  twilight  was 
in  the  very  height  of  all  its  sweets.  Lord  Rashleigh 
took  Bernicia's  hand  and  said  softly,  "  The  moon  is 
just  rising  ;  let  us  walk  to  the  riverside  and  cool  our 
selves  a  little."  And  then  Harry  turned  to  Miss 
Darner,  and  she  called  for  her  India  crape  shawl  and 
taught  him  how  to  fold  it  round  her  throat,  and  so 
looked  into  his  face  and  down  at  his  hands  till  he  was 
in  a  flush  and  flutter  of  pleasure,  and  ready  to  kiss 
the  pretty  feet  she  vowed  were  "too  thinly  shod  for 
aught  but  dancing  a  minuet." 

"  Oh,  you  are  very  delicate,  Arabella  !  "  said  Lady 
Pomfret,  "you  are  sweetly  delicate  ;  but  the  ground  is 
dry  and  there  is  no  harm  in  the  breeze  and  the  moon 
light.  Be  good  enough  to  remember,  however,  that 
in  fifteen  minutes  tea  and  coffee  will  be  served  in  the 
drawing-room,  and  the  boy  is  now  ordering  the  tables 
and  laying  out  the  cards  and  the  counters." 

"  But  will  you  not  come  with  us  for  the  fifteen  min 
utes,  Fanny  ? " 

"  La,  my  dear  !  you  can  all  be  fools  without  my  help. 
I  pray  you  have  some  pity  on  my  poor  brother.  You 
have  slaves  enough  to  your  charms  without  this 
conquest." 

"  Fanny,  this  is  extremely  unhandsome  of  you. 
Your  brother  would  be  the  greatest  conquest  I  shall 
ever  make."  Then  Miss  Darner  courtesied  to  Harry, 
and  he  gave  her  his  arm,  and  Lady  Fanny  watched 


170  BERNICIA. 

them  disappear  among  the  green-hedged  walks,  and 
then  turned  to  her  husband,  who  was  enjoying  his 
pipe  of  Virginia. 

"Is  he  not  handsome — wise,  modest,  witty?" 

"  He  is  your  brother,  Fanny." 

"  And  with  what  good  taste  he  is  dressed  !  Who 
could  have  chosen  for  him  that  suit  of  rich  black 
satin  ?  No  tinsels,  no  embroideries  !  As  for  the 
marvellous  lace  of  his  tie  and  ruffles,  I  am  sure  they 
came  from  Grandmother  Bouverie's  treasures.  But 
nothing  could  have  been  more  suitable  than  his  whole 
costume.  Harry  is  as  fine  a  gentleman  as  ever  Eng 
land  bred." 

"  Fair  and  softly,  my  dear.  Harry  is  not  without 
faults." 

"  Say  what  you  will,  he  may  have  a  new  mistress. 
It  is  easily  seen  that  Arabella  is  passionately  taken 
with  him." 

"  Hang  it,  Fanny  !  You  talk  of  nothing  but  love. 
Did  not  Bernicia  tell  us  Harry  was  far  gone  with  the 
little  Dissenter  ?  '  The  sweetest  woman  ever  the  sun 
shone  on,'  she  said." 

"Yet  for  all  that,  I  should  not  wonder  if  the 
charming  Arabella  teaches  him  to  forget." 

"  Nothing  is  a  wonder  in  love." 

"  Everything  is  a  wonder  in  love." 

"  Look  you,  Fanny,  let  me  smoke  my  pipe  in  peace." 

"  I  told  them  to  be  back  in  fifteen  minutes,  but  I'll 
warrant  the  fifteen  minutes  grows  to  half  an  hour." 

"If  it  does  not,  they  are  much  to  blame.  Two 
handsome  fellows  and  tw.o  lovely  girls,  moonlight  and 
flowers,  and  the  boats  on  the  river — Jove,  Fanny  !  we 
have  been  guilty  ourselves  in  the  same  kind.  Do  you 


HARRY'S   PARDON.  171 

remember  that  night  at  Lady  Hervey's — that  night  I 
asked  you  to  marry  me  ?  We  were  lost  two  hours  in 
the  garden.  Until  then,  I  had  thought  myself  to  be 
the  wisest  of  men." 

"  My  dear  John,  you  may  yet  safely  think  so  ;  'tis 
well  known  that  men  of  sense  make  the  best  fools  in 
the  world." 

"Well,  then,  Fanny,  I  am  still  blessing  myself  for 
my  folly.  I  hear  singing." 

"They  are  coming  up  the  holly  walk,  and  Bernicia 
and  Rashleigh  are  singing  '  Nancy  Dawson.'  'Tis  a 
very  taking  air." 

'  'Tis  my  utter  aversion.     I  am  sick  to  death  of  it." 

1  'Tis  as  good  as  another.  But  why  should  people 
sing,  when  they  can  talk  more  sensibly  ?  "  and  she  has 
tened  to  the  drawing-room,  and  cried  to  the  company 
to  "  hurry,"  and  so  singing  and  laughing  and  ex 
claiming  they  obeyed  her.  But  as  soon  as  Bernicia 
entered  the  room,  she  sat  down  and  began  to  play, 
and  as  the  tea  was  poured  and  handed  round,  the 
song  was  merrily  continued  : 


$$E3&3zr2g^3p3^ 

Of     all    the  girls  in     our  Town,  the  black,  the  fair,the 

ifa=?-^y=^tf=^=^ 

red,  the  brown  That  prance  and  dance  it  up  and  down,There's 


V  tf 

—  ] 

s, 

i               i     ' 

-^— 

—  1  — 

—  U 

-N 

—  j  — 

:.  K  h 

1      J  J  —  J    _ 

FT 

—  0— 

-*- 

-J- 

^~f-\^ 

none  like  Nan-cy  Daw  -son.         Her    eas  -  y   mien,  her 


172  BERNICIA. 

Hfc= 


shape  so  neat,  She  foots,  she  trips,  she  looks  so  sweet,  Her 


ev  -  'ry  motion   is  complete,  I     die  for  Nan-cy  Dawson. 


Now  people  say  a  great  deal  in  song  that  it  would  be 
difficult  to  say  in  conversation  ;  but  Lord  Rashleigh 
was  in  very  earnest,  and  "  Nancy  Dawson  "  was  to  him 
only  another  name  for  Bernicia  Cresswell.  So  he 
threw  his  soul  into  the  protestation  : 

' '  I  die  for  Nancy  Dawson  ! " 

and  looked  into  Bernicia's  face  for  some  answering 
light. 

It  was  at  this  moment  that  George  Abney  entered. 
He  had  hastened  to  congratulate  Harry,  had  put 
aside  all  selfish  considerations,  and  put  down  all  the 
small  jealousies  that  arose  out  of  the  situation  and 
which  naturally  made  his  heart  sore.  For  he  had 
certainly  been  the  first  mover  in  Harry's  redemp 
tion.  He  had  taken  a  long  journey,  he  had  given 
freely  his  time,  and  gold,  and  affection.  He  had 
placed  himself  in  a  position  which  made  him  liabL  to 
fine  and  imprisonment,  he  had  brought  the  outlaw 
into  domestic  relations  which  had  caused  him  many 
small  worries  and  annoyances,  and  he  was  by  no 
means  sure  that  his  sister's  happiness  was  not  seriously 
involved  in  Harry's  future  ;  and  yet  others  had 
reaped  all  the  honour  and  gratitude  he  might  justly 
claim. 


HARRY  S    PARDON.  173 

That  in  life  it  is  the  usual  way  for  one  to  sow 
and  another  to  water,  and  another  more  favoured  to 
reap  the  result,  made  it  no  easier  for  George's  con 
sideration.  His  first  glance  at  Bernicia  and  Lord 
Rashleigh  convinced  him  that  all  his  prosaic  labour, 
and  giving,  and  endurance,  was  but  the  sowing  and 
the  watering  ;  Rashleigh  had  but  flashed  his  sword 
into  the  king's  hand,  and  then  ridden  post-haste  to 
Richmond  with  the  news,  and  yet  he  evidently  had 
the  love  and  gratitude  of  the  occasion.  Indeed,  it 
seemed  to  George  that  not  even  Mr.  Whitefield  re 
ceived  his  due.  Bernicia  truly  said  :  "  Mr.  Whitefield 
has  been  indeed  a  saviour  to  Harry,"  but  her  beam 
ing  eyes,  her  radiant  smile,  and  the  little  intelligent 
nod  of  her  head  all  appeared  to  give  to  Lord  Rash 
leigh  far  sweeter  acknowledgment.  For  George's 
kindness  was  of  long  ago,  and  Mr.  Whitefield  was 
absent,  but  Lord  Rashleigh  was  the  benefactor  of 
the  hour.  And  it  is  the  present  good  we  honour,  the 
grace  of  the  past  is  forgotten,  the  grace  of  the  future 
not  sure. 

But  the  most  wise  of  all  the  virtues  is  a  calm 
patience,  and,  fortunately,  George  was  able  to  affect 
it,  for  he  did  not  deceive  himself.  He  knew  well, 
though  everyone  was  very  kind  to  him,  no  one  would 
have  missed  him,  or  cared  had  he  been  absent.  His 
visit  was  a  mistake  ;  happiness  could  do  without  him. 
This  position  was  all  the  more  felt,  because  both  his 
principles  and  his  ignorance  put  him  outside  of  the 
ordinary  shows  of  happiness.  Cards  he  had  been 
taught  to  abominate.  The  capers  of  the  jig  or  the 
country  dance,  and  the  graces  of  the  minuet,  were 
alike  outside  of  his  inclination  and  his  ability.  And 


174  BERNICIA. 

as  Lord  Pomfret  hated  to  play  cards  with  women, 
he  was  well  pleased  to  talk  with  the  young  merchant 
on  politics  and  commerce. 

This,  however,  was  not  the  kind  of  pleasure  George 
had  coveted.  He  had  hoped  to  find  the  ladies 
and  Harry  alone.  He  had  messages  from  madame 
and  from  Claire  to  deliver.  There  was  a  certain  duet 
he  loved  to  sing  with  Bernicia,  and  he  had  been  hum 
ming  it  to  himself  all  the  way  up  the  river.  In  some 
direction  or  other,  he  was  sure  that  the  evening  would 
give  him  happy  opportunities  with  her.  He  intended 
also  to  have  a  reasonable  talk  with  Harry  concerning 
his  sister  Claire  ;  for  to  be  brotherly  with  Bernicia's 
brother  was  one  of  the  strongest  desires  he  had. 

All  these  hopes  had  dwindled  to  the  discussion  with 
Lord  Pomfret  and  the  spectacle  of  Bernicia  playing 
whist  or  dancing  a  minuet  with  Lord  Rashleigh. 
Instead  of  being  one  of  the  chief  actors  in  the  unusual 
joy  of  the  hour,  he  was  a  mere  spectator.  Even 
when  the  mirth  resolved  itself  into  teaching  Harry  a 
minuet,  and  Miss  Darner  showed  him  how  to  hold  her 
hand,  and  Lord  Rashleigh  how  to  take  the  step,  and 
Fanny  and  Bernicia  laughed  at  his  mistakes,  George 
was  supposed  to  be  fully  entertained  in  discussing 
with  Lord  Pomfret  the  excessive  duties  on  Russian 
imports. 

At  midnight  supper  was  served,  and  George  was 
seated  at  Bernicia's  left  hand.  She  was  very  gracious 
to  him,  but  then  she  was  also  very  gracious  to  Lord 
Rashleigh,  who  sat  at  her  right  hand,  and  who  con 
stantly  spoke  of  persons  and  things  necessarily  un 
known  to  George.  This  marked  exclusion  angered 
the  young  merchant,  but  he  preserved  an  apparent 


HARRYS   PARDON.  175 

unconsciousness  of  it.  Already  he  had  learned  that 
they  who  suffer  with  patience  suffer  less.  However, 
in  the  confusion  which  accompanied  the  retiring  of  the 
ladies,  Bernicia  gave  him  her  hand,  with  a  smile  that 
put  all  resentment  out  of  his  heart. 

"  I  have  many  messages  for  you,"  he  said,  "  but  I 
have  found  no  opportunity  to  give  them." 

"It  has  been  such  a  stupid  evening,"  she  answered. 
"  I  suppose  Harry  has  enjoyed  it.  I  am  sure  no  one 
else  has.  What  time  do  you  leave  in  the  morning  ? " 

"  My  boat  will  wait  at  nine  o'clock.  Shall  I  see 
you  at  all  ?  Can  I  hope  for  five  minutes  of  your  com 
pany  alone  ? " 

"  Do  you  rise  early  ?  I  am  often  in  the  holly  walk 
about  eight  o'clock.  Good-night,  sir  !  " 


CHAPTER    IX. 

THE    QUARRELSOME    DISEASE. 

THE  hope  contained  in  Bernicia's  words,  though 
hurried  and  indefinite,  made  the  night  tolerable  to 
George,  and  in  the  morning  Bernicia  redeemed  it. 
She  had  no  hesitation  in  doing  so.  She  felt  certain 
Lord  Rashleigh  would  sit  the  night  far  out  with  her 
brother  and  brother-in-law  over  the  cards,  and  then 
sleep  until  near  the  noon  hour.  Fanny  would  just  as 
certainly  take  her  chocolate  in  bed  ;  and  as  for  the 
servants,  they  would  either  be  about  their  duties  or 
looking  after  their  personal  comforts. 

It  was  an  exquisite  morning,  and  George  was  a 
lover  whom  the  morning  suited.  The  daytime,  with 
its  sense  of  duty  to  be  done,  and  its  air  of  real  life  to 
be  lived,  fitted  his  noble  wooing.  Bernicia  could  not 
walk  with  him  and  feel  the  clasp  of  his  hand  and 
listen  to  his  strong,  sweet  voice,  and  remain  unmoved 
by  his  beauty  and  eloquence,  his  ardour  and  his  truth. 

Undoubtedly  she  was  coy  and  variable,  most  un 
certain  of  her  own  heart,  and  very  little  disposed  to  the 
life  to  which  a  marriage  with  George  Abney  would  bind 
her.  But  George  Abney,  apart  from  his  own  environ 
ment,  and  considered  only  as  a  lover,  was  strongly 
attractive.  There  was  a  manliness  about  his  wooing 
far  more  pleasing  to  Bernicia  than  the  elaborate 
courtesies  and  compliments  of  fops  and  courtiers. 

176 


THE    QUARRELSOME    DISEASE.  177 

So  this  morning  she  let  George  both  feel  and  see  her 
preference  ;  and  when  he  bade  her  farewell  at  the  head 
of  the  flight  of  stairs  leading  to  the  river,  it  was  with 
a  happy  and  confident  face.  His  boat  lay  at  the  foot, 
and  the  men  at  the  oars  were  singing  "  Nancy  Daw- 
son  "  as  they  waited  for  him. 

He  stood  for  a  moment  or  two  watching  the  van 
ishing  figure  of  Bernicia,  and  when  he  turned  to  the 
river  Lord  Rashleigh  was  just  leaving  his  boat.  A 
quick  sense  of  impending  trouble  assailed  George, 
and  his  first  impulse  was  to  arrest  his  soul  and  bid  it 
consider  and  be  careful.  This  impulse  naturally  in 
duced  a  deliberate  manner,  and  the  two  men  met 
about  the  middle  of  the  flight.  Rashleigh's  manner 
was  full  of  passion  ;  he  looked  defiantly  at  George, 
and  said,  in  a  menacing  tone  : 

"  Well,  sir?" 

"  Well,  sir,"  answered  George,  with  assumed  non 
chalance. 

"  I  will  thank  you,  Mr.  Abney,  to  keep  out  of  my 
way." 

"  I  will  not  go  one  hair's  breadth  out  of  my  way  to 
avoid  yours,  Lord  Rashleigh." 

"  The  devil  take  your  impudence,  sir." 

"It  is  for  you  to  take,  not  for  the  devil." 

"  You  shall  hear  from  me,  sir  ?  You  shall  hear 
speedily  from  me." 

"  I  shall  count  it  no  honour  to  hear  from  you,  Lord 
Rashleigh." 

George  had  been  going  quietly  down  the  steps 
during  the  conversation,  and  as  he  spoke  the  last 
words  he  stepped  into  his  boat. 

"  A  noisy  stave  and  a  crown  for  it,"  he  said  to  the 


178  BERNICIA. 

men,  and  thus  to  the  first  stroke  of  their  oars  they 
trolled  loudly  out  the  last  line  of  the  verse  they  were 
singing  : 

"  I  die  for  Nancy  Dawson." 

George  had  purposely  seated  himself  with  his  back 
to  his  rival,  but  at  these  opportune  words  he  turned 
his  face  to  Lord  Rashleigh.  And  Lord  Rashleigh 
found  in  its  expression  an  intolerable  offence.  He 
was  sure  George  was  mocking  his  singing  of  the  same 
words  on  the  previous  night  ;  that  he  was  mocking 
his  passion,  and  the  way  he  had  chosen  to  express  it  ; 
and  no  words  could  have  so  infuriated  the  angry 
lover. 

It  was,  however,  impossible  to  say  anything  more 
at  that  moment,  and  he  told  himself  that  his  answer 
should  go  on  a  sword's  point.  With  this  resolve  he 
glanced  into  the  shade  of  the  holly  walk.  As  he 
expected,  he  saw  the  flutter  of  a  dress,  and  he  went 
forward  with  hasty  footsteps.  Bernicia  turned  as  he 
approached,  and  for  a  moment  her  beauty  conquered 
his  anger.  She  was  as  fresh  as  the  morning  in  her 
white  dimity  gown,  her  scarlet  shoes,  her  little  gypsy 
bonnet  tied  under  her  chin,  and  her  necklace  of  coral 
and  gold  beads. 

"Good-morning,  Lord  Rashleigh  !"  she  said,  with 
a  beaming  smile  ;  and  then,  seeing  the  anger  on  his 
white  face,  she  dropped  her  eyes  and  pretended  to  be 
fastening  one  of  the  coral  and  gold  clasps  of  her 
open  bodice.  He  put  his  hand  firmly,  almost  roughly, 
on  her  shoulder. 

"  You  are  false  as  you  are  fair  !  "  he  cried.  "  Why 
are  you  out  so  early  this  morning  ?  " 


THE    QUARRELSOME    DISEASE.  179 

*  'Twas  my  humour,  and  I  mostly  follow  my 
humour." 

"  You  came  out  to  smile  and  sigh  that  silly  young 
Abney  into  a  fool's  paradise." 

"  What  then  ?  " 

"  You  have  driven  me  to  the  end  of  my  patience." 

"  You  have  been  there  before,  Lord  Rashleigh — very 
often." 

"Twenty  times  last  night,  when  we  were  singing, 
when  we  were  dancing,  you  looked  love  at  me.  Love 
was  in  your  smiles,  your  touch,  your  words.  This 
morning  you  have  the  same  smiles  and  words  for  Mr. 
Abney.  I  have  believed  your  coyness  and  uncertain 
ties  to  be  an  innocent  girl's  modesty  and  ignorance  of 
love.  I  believe  in  you  no  longer.  I  trust  you  no 
longer.  I  love  you  no  longer." 

"  I  thank  you.  Your  love  has  been  a  tedious, 
troublesome  affair.  Remove  your  hand  from  my 
shoulder.  I  saw  you  last  night  biting  your  thumb 
at  my  friend,  Mr.  Abney,  and  this  morning  I  warned 
him  of  your  temper,  for  'tis  a  vile  one— that  is  '  why.'  " 

"  I  care  not  for  the  '  why.'  As  for  Mr.  Abney,  my 
temper  is  to  make  cold  clay  of  him  before  another 
sunrise." 

"  Two  can  play  at  that  game." 

"  And  I  promise  you  with  a  vengeance  !  Insolent, 
trading  fellow  !  " 

"  You  are  absurdity  itself.  Your  talk  is  ever  of 
killing  someone.  A  man  that  can  do  nothing  but 
bully  and  threaten  is  a  ridiculous  animal.  George 
Abney  is  your  master  ,at  every  point.  Will  you  please 
to  go,  sir  ?  I  am  horribly  tired  of  your  swaggering." 

"  So  false  !     So  cruel  !  " 


l8o  BERNICIA. 

"  If  you  said  anything  pleasant  you  would  lose  your 
speech." 

"  I  am  distracted  !  I  have  neither  patience  nor 
wisdom  left  !  " 

"  A  nice  account  to  give  of  yourself.  You  are 
becoming  a  disagreeable  creature.  When  will  you 
go?" 

"  Do  you  care,  if  I  go  to  my  death  ?  I  swear  you 
will  not  give  me  a  thought." 

"  They  why  go  to  your  death  ?" 

"  Because  my  love  for  you " 

"  You  have  said  you  no  longer  love  me." 

"  My  honour " 

"  As  for  your  honour,  if  it  lies  in  barking  and  biting, 
you  are  honourable  indeed.  Such  *  honour  '  is  too 
subtle  for  my  understanding." 

"  To-morrow  by  this  time ' 

"  I  suppose  you  will  have  eaten  Mr.  Abney  ?  " 

;<  To-morrow  by  this  time " 

"  To-morrow  come  never  !  "  and  with  the  con 
temptuous  disclaimer  she  turned  from  him  and  went 
deliberately  back  to  the  house.  As  soon,  however,  as 
she  was  within  its  shelter,  she  fled  like  one  distraught 
to  Lady  Pomfret's  room. 

"  Sister  Fanny  !  Sister  Fanny  !  "  she  cried,  throw 
ing  herself  on  her  knees  by  the  bedside,  "  I  am  the 
most  miserable  creature  !  I  am  undone  !  Send  me 
back  to  Cresswell  !  I  entreat  you,  send  me  back  ! 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  you  ?  "  asked  Lady  Pom- 
fret,  who  was  idly  drinking  her  chocolate  in  bed,  and 
who  was  both  startled  and  angered  by  these  sudden 
exclamations.  "  What  is  the  matter  ?  Your  airs  and 
passions,  Bernicia,  grow  beyond  a  joke.  Do  you  want 


THE    QUARRELSOME   DISEASE.  l8l 

to  be  the  talk  of  all  the  footmen  and  wenches  in  the 
town  ?  " 

"  Lord  Rashleigh  and  George  Abney  are  going  to 
fight  a  duel." 

"  It  serves  you  right.  Twenty  and  twenty  times 
I  have  told  you  either  to  stick  to  one  lover  or  to  have 
a  dozen.  Two  are  most  dangerous.  They  are  ever 
ready  to  cut  each  other's  throat.  How  did  this  thing 
come  about  ?  " 

"  The  morning  is  so  lovely,  and  the  flowers,  and  the 
sunshine " 

"  Oh,  miss,  let  the  flowers  and  the  sunshine  pass, 
and  come  to  the  men.  Pray  where  have  you  been 
this  '  lovely  '  morning  ?  " 

"  I  but  walked  with  George  Abney  to  the  steps  at 
the  river  side.  He  must  have  met  Lord  Rashleigh, 
but  what  they  said  to  each  other  I  know  not.  Rash 
leigh  followed  me  in  a  bitter  passion,  and  with  many 
impertinences  vowed  he  would  challenge  Mr.  Abney 
to-day." 

"  We  cannot  have  a  duel  in  the  family  at  this  date, 
Bernicia.  It  is  too  late,  and  too  early.  Had  it  been 
in  May,  it  would  have  set  your  fame  on  the  four  winds 
of  heaven,  but  the  town  is  now  empty,  and  the  affair 
will  be  stale  after  a  nine  days'  wonder." 

"  Lord  Rashleigh  will  kill  George  !  Oh,  Fanny  ! 
Fanny  !  " 

"Fiddle-de-dee  ! "  and  at  this  moment  Harry,  fully 
dressed,  and  with  his  hat  in  his  hand,  came  into  the 
room.  His  face  was  shining  with  hope  and  pleasure, 
and  he  said  with  a  laugh  : 

"  I  have  only  time  to  salute  you,  Fanny.  Lord 
Rashleigh  is  to  take  me  to  his  tailor,  and  then  intro- 


182  BERNICIA. 

duce  me  at  White's,  and  the  Cocoa  Tree.  But  what 
is  the  matter  ? " 

"  Matter  enough,  Harry.  Here  is  word  of  a  duel 
between  Lord  Rashleigh  and  George  Abney,  and 
nothing  could  be  less  desirable." 

Then  all  the  light  went  out  of  Harry's  face,  and  he 
sat  down  and  looked  angrily  at  Bernicia.  "Your 
fault,  miss  !  "  he  said.  "  I  am  sure  it  is.  I  have  seen 
your  ways  with  your  lovers.  You  lift  them  to  the 
skies  one  day,  and  you  snap  your  fingers  at  them  the 
next.  Let  me  tell  you,  your  coquetries  of  last  night 
are  like  enough  to  be  my  ruin.  It  was  in  your  pres 
ence  Lord  Pomfret  told  me  to  keep  very  much  out  of 
sight  and  hearing  until  my  papers  were  signed,  sealed, 
and  delivered,  and  you  have  taken  this  way  to  put  my 
name  in  everyone's  mouth.  What  now  is  the  king  to 
think  of  the  Cresswell  family  ?  If  Lord  Rashleigh  is 
killed  or  wounded  for  Miss  Cresswell's  vanity,  he 
will  be  wroth,  for  Lord  Rashleigh  is  much  in  his 
favour.  If  George  Abney  is  your  victim,  then  the  Dis 
senters — who  look  upon  the  young  fellow  as  a  very 
David — will  make  no  end  of  petitioning  for  the  pun 
ishment  of  Lord  Rashleigh.  In  either  case  the  name 
of  Cresswell  must  come  up  as  an  offence  to  His  Maj 
esty.  You  have  behaved  cruelly  to  me,  Bernicia." 

"  And  to  Lord  Pomfret,  also,"  said  Fanny  dolor 
ously  ;  "  for  there  will  be  plenty  to  remind  the  king 
that  my  lord  married  one  of  the  Cresswell  family. 
As  for  my  unhappy  self,  I  do  not  pretend  to  guess 
what  I  am  to  say  to  Lady  Chesterfield  and  her  set. 
They  will  turn  up  their  demure  eyes,  and  speak  from 
the  summit  of  their  whites  about  the  wickedness  of 
the  girls  of  the  age,  and  I  am  without  an  excuse.  I 


THE   QUARRELSOME    DISEASE.  183 

hope  now,  you  have  done  plenty  of  mischief  to  satisfy 
you,  miss." 

"  How  can  you  find  it  in  your  heart  to  scold  me, 
Fanny  ?  You  know  that  Lord  Rashleigh  has  a  temper 
like  touch-wood.  Cross  him  by  a  look,  and  he  is  on 
the  ran-tan  in  a  moment." 

"  Then  you  ought  not  to  have  crossed  him  by  half 
a  look,"  said  Harry.  "  And  I  am  sorry  for  George 
Abney,  though  I  have  no  doubt  he  will  die  hand 
somely.  He  is  made  throughout  of  the  finest 
fibre." 

Then  Bernicia  began  to  sob  bitterly,  and  Fanny 
said  :  "  Perhaps  you  had  better  go  to  Lord  Rashleigh, 
Harry.  For  your  sake  he  may  pass  by  the  affair." 

"  I  would  not  ask  him  a  favour  to  save  my  life.  I 
am  sure  he  is  in  the  wrong.  First  and  last  I  shall 
stand  by  George  Abney.  He  stood  by  me  when  I 
was  in  very  shame  and  necessity." 

"  Besides  which,"  said  Fanny  scornfully,  "  George 
has  a  fair  sister." 

"  It  is  most  true,  though  I  thought  not  of  her  at  the 
moment,  and  that  is  a  wonder,  for  she  is  in  all  my 
thoughts." 

"  This  is  nothing  to  the  subject.  Someone  must 
go  to  Lord  Rashleigh  and  induce  him  to  save  his 
anger  till  a  better  season.  If  he  will  not,  all  that  was 
done  yesterday  may  be  undone." 

"  Then,  Fanny,"  pleaded  Harry,  "  you  must  get  Lord 
Pomfret  to  see  him.  For  God's  sake,  sister,  for  my 
sake,  for  all  our  sakes,  a  delay  at  least  must  be  insisted 
on.  If  the  king's  mercy  be  not  perfected,  I  am  in  a 
worse  case  than  before.  I  am  plunged  in  despair 
again." 


184  BERNICIA. 

"  Lord  Pomfret  played  all  night,  Harry.  He  is  now 
in  deep  sleep.  His  man  would  as  soon  wake  a  bull  of 
Bashan.  But  he  is  ever  dressed  by  noon,  and  then  he 
is  usually  good  tempered.  At  that  hour  I  can  persuade 
him,  doubtless." 

"  Bernicia,"  cried  Harry,  driven  to  desperation,  "  I 
say  you  have  behaved  most  cruelly  to  me." 

"  Bemicia,"  said  Fanny,  echoing  his  mood,  "  you 
have  often  behaved  selfishly,  and  often  foolishly  ;  this 
morning  you  have  managed  to  do  both." 

"  I  am  not  fit  to  live,  Fanny,  if  all  that  Lord  Rash- 
leigh  says,  and  all  that  Harry  says,  and  all  that  you 
say  of  me,  is  true.  However,  'tis  a  Heaven's  mercy 
that  I  keep  my  own  good  opinion."  Her  face  was 
burning  with  indignation,  her  head  lifted  proudly,  and 
with  these  words  she  went  haughtily  out  of  the  pres 
ence  of  her  brother  and  sister. 

Perhaps  she  was  neither  as  troubled  nor  as  angry  as 
she  affected  to  be  ;  or  else  the  humour  was  as  evanes 
cent  as  her  moods  usually  were,  for  as  she  passed 
along  the  corridor  she  stood  at  an  open  window  and 
smiled  as  the  glory  and  sweetness  of  the  sky  and  the 
garden  welcomed  her.  Not  that  she  consciously  took 
these  things  into  her  consideration, — women  had  not 
then  learned  to  regard  the  whole  visible  world  rela 
tively  to  their  emotions  and  their  destiny, — it  was 
simply  that  Nature  was  warm  and  sweet  and  pleasant, 
and  her  influence  comforting  as  a  smile  would  have 
been  ;  so  that  she  instantly  began  to  take  a  more 
cheerful  view  of  her  perplexities. 

"  If  everything  went  just  as  it  ought  to  go,  there 
would  be  nothing  to  talk  about,"  she  thought.  "  I 
will  speak  to  Tarset,  she  generally  finds  out  a  way. 


THE    QUARRELSOME    DISEASE.  185 

This  resolve  was  not  unwise,  for  Tarset  belonged  to 
that  elemental  class  of  women  whose  first  instinct  in 
every  trouble  is  to  stop  crying  and  help  themselves. 
And  she  had  long  apprehended  this  trouble.  Fre 
quently  she  had  said  to  Bernicia  :  "  If  your  two  lovers 
were  from  the  North  Country,  they  would  have  been 
playing  broadswords  ere  this."  So  she  listened  with 
great  interest  to  Bernicia's  tale,  and  Bernicia  told  it  to 
Tarset  with  far  more  circumstance  than  she  had  told 
it  to  her  sister.  She  expected  also  more  disapproval, 
but  Tarset's  opinions  were  based  on  the  moral  aspect 
of  the  question,  and  not  on  its  social  consequences. 

"  It  is  a  bad  job,  miss,"  she  answered,  "  but  I  don't 
see  that  you  are  to  blame  for  Lord  Rashleigh's  jealous 
temper.  And  'tis  a  thousand  pities  you  cannot  learn 
to  understand  yourself  better  ;  though,  to  be  sure,  men 
ought  to  give  a  girl  time.  Marrying  is  living  together 
for  fifty  years,  happen.  I  should  think  one  year  for 
trying  and  choosing  is  none  too  much." 

"  And  'tis  scarce  half  a  year  since  we  came  to 
London.  But  that  is  not  the  question  now.  For 
Harry's  sake,  and  for  all  our  sakes,  this  duel  must  be 
prevented.  How  ?  My  wise  brother-in-law  may  see 
Lord  Rashleigh  before  it  is  too  late  ;  and  he  may  not 
see  him  at  all." 

"  I  shouldn't  trouble  with  Lord  Rashleigh,  miss. 
He  dashes  and  bounces  at  everything.  I  would  get 
word  to  Mr.  Abney.  It  takes  two  fools  to  fight  a 
duel,  and  if  Mr.  Abney  is  as  wise  as  I  think  he  is " 

"  I  will  not  do  anything  to  put  Mr.  Abney  in  the 
wrong.  Mind  that,  Tarset  !  " 

"  He  will  not  do  anything  to  put  himself  in  the 
wrong.  You  may  be  very  sure  of  that,  miss.  Send 


l86  BERNICIA. 

me  to  London.     I  can  maybe  manage  this  business  a 
bit  better  than  you  can." 

•  "  I  shall  eat  my  heart  out  with  anxiety  until  you 
get  back,  Tarset." 

"  Well,  miss,  I  must  say,  you  have  earned  a  bit  of 
anxiety.  You  are  as  cruel  as  a  cat  with  your  lovers, 
and  in  teasing  them  you  have  gone  all  lengths.  I  am 
sure  I  don't  know  why  you  do  so." 

"  It  is  my  way,  Tarset,  and  I  like  my  way." 

"Yes,  miss.  And  'tis  perhaps  a  Heaven's  mercy 
that  they  who  will  go  their  own  way  always  come 
back  by  Weeping  Cross." 

"  Scolding  is  nothing  to  the  business  in  hand,  Tar 
set.  And  there  is  not  a  moment  to  lose.  Why  are 
you  not  hurrying  ?  I  know  that  you  are  bent  on  see 
ing  Mr.  Abney,  then  go  at  once  to  my  Uncle  Bou- 
verie's  wharf.  Here  is  the  address." 

But  though  Tarset  took  the  address,  she  did  not  go 
to  the  Bouverie  wharf.  She  went  straight  to  Mr. 
Whitefield's  residence.  The  preacher  had  gone  out. 
"  He  was  perhaps  at  the  Tabernacle,  or  at  the  old 
Bailey  Prison,  or  at  Mr.  Fletcher's  house."  There 
was  no  certain  knowledge  of  his  movements,  and  Tar 
set  said,  "I  shall  wait  here  until  he  returns." 

It  was  three  o'clock  before  he  did  so,  and  the  anx 
ious  woman  was  trembling  with  fear  and  impatience. 

"  Mr.  Whitefield,  sir,"  she  cried,  as  soon  as  he 
appeared,  "  I  am  sick  to  death  waiting  for  you .' 
Oh,  sir  !  there  is  a  great  thing  for  you  to  do,  or  all  you 
did  yesterday  will  be  undone." 

Then  she  told  her  story  with  as  much  haste  and 
clearness  as  she  could,  for  she  thought  there  was  an  ex 
pression  of  dissent  or  impatience  on  her  listener's  face. 


THE   QUARRELSOME    DISEASE.  187 

"  What  is  your  name  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Jane  Tarset,  sir.  I  am  Miss  Cresswell's  servant 
and  friend,  from  her  birth  hour." 

"  Then  Mistress  Tarset,  what  do  you  think  ?  Is  it 
right  for  me  to  leave  the  preaching  of  Jesus  Christ 
that  I  may  take  a  part  in  such  a  wicked,  senseless 
quarrel  ?  Greater  preachers  than  I — even  the 
Apostles — said  it  was  not  reasonable  to  leave  the 
word  of  God  though  it  were  to  serve  tables  for  the 
poor  and  needy." 

"  Sir,  the  Apostles  were  always  a  bit  above  the 
Master.  He  served  tables.  Five,  and  ten  thousand 
people  at  a  time  took  their  bite  of  bread  and  fish 
from  his  hand.  And  this  is  a  greater  question  than 
fish  and  barley  bread  ;  it  is,  happen,  one  of  life  and 
death.  As  for  preaching  Christ,  sir,  I  shouldn't 
wonder  if  you  did  not  find  two  or  three  in  Blooms- 
bury  Square  needing  the  Gospel  just  as  badly  as  the 
two  or  three  thousand  in  Moorfield's  Tabernacle. 
You  have  put  your  heart  and  hand  out  to  save  the 
Cresswells,  and  I  would  not  draw  them  back  now,  sir, 
if  I  were  you." 

"  I  will  not  draw  back,  Mistress  Tarset.  Where 
shall  I  be  likely  to  find  Mr.  Abney  at  this  hour?" 

"  Most  likely  he  will  be  at  the  house  in  Blooms- 
bury." 

"  Then  I  shall  go  there." 

"And  I  wouldn't  waste  any  time,  sir.  I  do  not 
think  there  is  any  time  to  waste." 

The  message  on  which  he  was  now  sent  did  not 
please  Mr.  Whitefield  for  many  reasons.  He  could 
not  think  it  was  in  the  way  of  his  duty  ;  he  felt  it 
rather  to  be  a  kind  of  imposition.  He  had  other 


l88  BERNICIA. 

pressing  and  pleasant  engagements.  His  mind  was 
fully  bent  on  a  meeting  which  was  to  consider  the 
school  for  his  orphanage,  and  this  question  was  one 
lying  close  to  his  heart. 

"When  God's  way  goes  with  my  own  way,"  he 
sighed,  "  how  easy  it  is  to  take  it  !  " 

Even  when  close  to  his  destination  he  wondered 
whether  it  might  not  be  the  best  wisdom  to  turn  back, 
And  as  he  was  a  man  of  vivid  and  vital  emotions 
these  restless  thoughts  and  questionings  impressed  his 
countenance  and  his  manner,  so  that  he  went  into  the 
house  with  that  peculiar  air  of  authority  through 
which  a  man  says  plainly,  "  This  is  an  unpleasant  affair, 
but  it  is  my  duty,  and  I  intend  to  do  it." 

He  was  led  to  the  state  parlour.  George  Abney  was 
sitting  at  a  table,  and  a  young  gentleman  in  deep 
brocade  and  embroidery,  a  tye  wig,  and  lace  ruffles, 
was  standing  opposite  to  him.  Between  them,  on  the 
shining  surface  of  the  highly  polished  wood,  lay  a 
broad  white  letter.  George's  face  was  slightly  lifted 
to  his  visitor,  but  its  expression  was  calmly  contemptu 
ous,  though  he  was  listening  with  a  semblance  of 
politeness. 

Mr.  Whitefield  understood  the  position  at  a  glance, 
and  he  required  no  introduction  to  the  young  mer 
chant.  Advancing  rapidly  he  said  : 

"  Mr.  Abney,  I  perceive  Lord  Rashleigh's  foolish 
challenge  has  arrived.  On  no  account  must  you 
accept  it." 

"  Sir,"  said  Lord  Rashleigh's  friend,  "  it  is  one  of 
the  follies  of  this  day  that  makes  your  face  so  familiar. 
And  your  interference  in  this  matter,  sir,  is  an  imper 
tinence  !  "  Then  touching  the  letter  with  his  sword's 


THE    QUARRELSOME    DISEASE.  189 

point,  he  turned  with  a  scornful  bow  to  George,  and 
said  :  "  Mr.  Abney,  I  wait  your  answer  to  this,  sir." 

But  before  George  could  answer  Whitefield  took 
the  small  Bible  which  he  habitually  carried,  from  his 
breast,  and  put  it  upon  the  challenge. 

"  Mr.  Abney,"  he  cried,  lifting  his  hands  and  his 
face  to  Heaven,  "  there  lies  God's  eternal  law  :  Thou 
shalt  do  no  murder.  If  you  dare  to  take  Lord  Rash- 
leigh's  challenge  from  beneath  it,  do  so." 

Then  George  rose  to  his  feet.  He  was  moved  with 
indignation  against  the  man  who  had  forced  him  into 
such  an  equivocal  position,  and  he  said,  with  a  pas 
sionate  scorn  : 

"  Mr.  Dorrington,  say  to  Lord  Rashleigh,  if  he  is 
tired  of  life,  George  Abney  bids  him  hang  or  drown 
himself.  He  has  no  inclination  to  humour  his  jealous 
temper." 

"  Sir,  by  every  law  of  honour  you  are  bound  to  meet 
Lord  Rashleigh." 

"  It  is  a  beggarly  law  of  honour  that  walks  not  with 
the  law  of  God,  nor  even  with  the  law  of  the  country. 
I  will  none  of  it  !  " 

"  Are  you  afraid  of  the  Methodist's  book  ?  " 

"  Mr.  Dorrington,"  said  Whitefield  sternly,  "  let  me 
remind  you  that  your  ancestors  thought  it  worth  their 
while  not  only  to  read  the  Methodist's  book,  but  also 
to  fight  for  the  right  to  do  so." 

"  I  am  not  here  to  discuss  my  ancestors  with  you, 
Mr.  Whitefield.  Give  me  an  answer  to  Lord  Rash- 
leigh's  challenge,  Mr.  Abney,  or  I  shall  write  you 
through  the  town  a  coward." 

"  I  would  be  a  coward,  indeed,  if  I  permitted  any 
man  to  taunt  me  into  a  duel  about  Miss  Cresswell. 


190  BERNICIA. 

For  her  honour  or  her  life  I  would  lay  down  my  own 
life.  Her  love  she  has  the  right  to  give  to  whom  she 
will.  Do  you  think  I  would  go  in  the  dusk,  behind 
Montagu  House,  and  fight  any  man  for  it  ?  I  will  not, 
sir." 

The  last  words  were  partially  lost  in  the  bustle  and 
noise  of  someone,  whose  approach,  though  unseen,  con 
veyed  the  idea  of  power  and  pomposity.  A  moment 
afterward  Lord  Pomfret  and  William  Bouverie  entered 
together. 

"  Mr.  Dorrington,"  said  Lord  Pomfret,  in  a  loud 
voice,  "  your  servant,  sir  !  I  hear  you  are  the  bearer 
of  a  very  silly  bit  of  paper.  Pray,  where  is  it  ?  " 

The  eyes  of  all  present  fell  instantly  upon  the  white 
paper,  but  no  one  spoke,  and  no  one  offered  to  remove 
the  book.  The  small  black  Bible  lay  there  with  an 
authority  none  dared  to  dispute ;  and  Lord  Pomfret 
turned  to  Mr.  Whitefield  and  said  : 

"  Sir,  I  am  most  gladly  your  servant.  I  have  long 
desired  to  know  you,  and  I  think  you  and  I  are  here 
on  the  same  errand.  Is  that  your  book,  sir  ?  " 

"  It  is  my  Bible,  Lord  Pomfret." 

"  The  challenge  is  beneath  it  ?  " 

"  It  is." 

"  Then  the  book  has  kept  the  peace,  I  see.  Heartily, 
and  from  my  soul,  I  thank  it  !  But,  as  matters  now 
stand,  sir,  you  may  remove  it  ;  for  I  am  a  magistrate, 
and  can  look  after  this  foolishness." 

Then  Whitefield  lifted  his  Bible  with  a  reverent 
tenderness,  and  replaced  it  in  his  breast  ;  and  Lord 
Pomfret  immediately  seized  the  letter  beneath  it.  He 
held  it  a  moment  in  his  large,  dark  hands,  and  then, 
with  a  frowning,  scornful  face,  slowly  tore  it  into  shreds. 


THE    QUARRELSOME    DISEASE.  19! 

While  this  little  scene  was  in  progress,  George  was 
giving  William  Bouverie,  in  a  few  whispered  words, 
the  assurance  he  desired  ;  and  Mr.  Dorrington  was 
speaking,  with  some  passion,  about  his  "  principal's 
honour,"  and  the  satisfaction  that  would  be  demanded. 
This  tirade  Lord  Pomfret  did  not  at  first  answer, 
though  the  increasing  temper  and  provoking  delibera 
tion  with  which  he  tore  up  the  paper  was  perhaps  the 
most  aggravating  of  all  replies.  When  he  had  flung 
to  the  floor  the  last  scrap,  he  turned  fiercely  to  the 
young  man  : 

"  Body  of  me,  Mr.  Dorrington  !  "  he  cried  ;  "  if  I 
hear  another  word  about  this  silly  affair,  you  will  find 
that  I  can  make  London  very  unpleasant  for  you." 

"  My  honour,  Lord  Pomfret." 

"  Honour  !  Honour  !  What  honour  is  there  in  fight 
ing  about  nothing  at  all  ?  Is  my  sister-in-law's  name 
to  be  a  peg  for  a  couple  of  fools  to  air  their  *  honour ' 
on  ?  By  the  Lord  Harry,  no  !  I  shall  ask  His  Majesty 
to  stand  such  men  of  honour  a  few  hours  in  the  pillory. 
Then  where  will  their  *  honour '  be  ?  " 

"  That  is  a  good  thought,  Lord  Pomfret,"  said 
William  Bouverie.  "Such  a  punishment  for  the 
braggarts  of  honour  would  soon  put  a  stop  to  duelling." 

Lord  Pomfret  bowed  in  reply,  and  turning  to 
George,  said  :  "  Mr.  Abney,  Lord  Rashleigh  has  been 
persuaded  by  me  to  consider  Sir  Harry  Cresswell's 
and  Miss  Cresswell's  highest  interests,  and  to  forego, 
for  their  sakes,  the  satisfaction  he  might  personally 
desire.  I  hope,  for  the  same  reasons,  you  will  accept 
this  decision,  sir." 

"  I  have  already  refused  to  fight  Lord  Rashleigh." 

"  Oh-h-h-h !     Then    I  might  have  spared  myself 


192  BERNICIA. 

much  trouble.  In  short,  Mr.  Dorrington,  there  is  an 
end,  you  see,  to  your  preposterous  little  mission  ;  and 
we  may  all  bid  you  good-evening.  I  will  meet  you  at 
noon  to-morrow  in  White's,  and  your  prudence  and 
silence  will  not  find  me  ungrateful." 

"  Such  affairs  will  leak  out,  Lord  Pomfret ;  and 
people  will  not  spare  to  say ' 

"  To  be  sure,  they  will  say  anything.  But,  if  there 
is  any  *  leak  out,'  I  shall  know  whom  to  blame  ;  and 
you  will  not  find  me  indifferent."  With  these  words 
he  turned  to  Mr.  Whitefield  and  William  Bouverie, 
and  said,  with  a  shrug  of  his  big  shoulders :  "  What  a 
troublesome  play  is  life  !  And  yet,  one  has  to  act  the 
farce  out  to  the  very  end." 

Then  Mr.  Dorrington,  with  elaborate  courtesies, 
took  his  departure,  and  Lord  Pomfret  said  "he  also 
must  make  a  hurried  return  to  Richmond,  as  the 
ladies  were  anxious,  and  Sir  Harry  in  a  gloomy  temper, 
as  it  stood  to  reason  they  well  might  be." 

"  I  have  already  sent  assurances  that  no  duel  shall 
take  place,  Lord  Pomfret,"  said  George  Abney,  and 
though  it  was  precisely  what  the  nobleman  desired,  he 
turned  from  the  young  man  without  either  thanks  or 
approval. 

Unfortunately  the  messenger  sent  by  George  to 
Richmond  went  into  a  tavern  for  a  drink  of  ale,  and 
drank  himself  to  sleep,  and  thus  it  happened  that 
Lady  Pomfret,  Bernicia,  and  Sir  Harry  spent  some 
very  long,  unhappy  hours.  For  Tarset's  news  was 
neither  positive  nor  reassuring,  and  Lord  Pomfret  did 
not  reach  home  until  the  night  was  growing  near  to 
midnight.  Lady  Fanny  had  wearied  herself  with 
wondering  and  complaining,  and  was  lying  on  the 


THE    QUARRELSOME    DISEASE.  193 

sofa  half  asleep.  Sir  Harry  was  walking  on  the  gar 
den  terrace  in  the  moonlight,  and  Bernicia  talking 
with  Tarset  in  her  room,  when  all  alike  heard  the 
clatter  of  the  returning  carriage  and  the  strident 
echoes  of  the  master's  voice.  He  came  into  the  room 
in  the  most  pleasant  manner,  and  his  first  words  dis 
sipated  every  fear. 

"  'Tis  a  mercy  I  went,  Fanny,"  he  cried,  kissing  his 
wife's  pretty  face,  "  else  I  do  not  know  what  would 
have  happened.  Two  more  bloody-minded  men  I 
never  saw.  By  faith  !  I  have  a  riddle  for  you.  Who 
did  I  dine  with  ?  Guess  ? " 

"  His  Majesty." 

"  George  Whitefield." 

"John  Pomfret!" 

"And  your  Uncle  Bouverie.  And  the  very  noble 
old  lady,  your  grandmother.  And  that  angelical  crea 
ture  whom  Harry  adores.  And  the  young  Methodist, 
George  Abney.  As  for  the  dinner  itself,  it  was  per 
fection.  Such  meats,  and  sweets,  and  wines  ;  such 
silver  and  crystal  and  fine  damask.  If  His  Majesty 
ever  again  asks  me  '  How  these  Dissenters  have  grown 
so  great?'  I  shall  tell  him  to  go  to  your  Uncle 
Bouverie's  and  see  on  what  meat  these  our  Caesars 
feed." 

During  this  speech  Bernicia  came  into  the  room. 
She  was  in  a  loose  white  gown,  and  had  a  scarlet 
Canton  crape  shawl  folded  across  her  shoulders.  Her 
long  black  hair  was  uncoiled  and  her  face  pale  with 
anxious  waiting.  She  listened  to  her  brother-in-law 
with  impatience,  and  as  he  ceased  speaking  asked  : 

"  But  what  of  the  duel  ?  Is  there  to  be  a  meeting 
or  not  ?" 


194  BERNICIA. 

"  The  challenge  had  been  sent  when  I  saw  Lord 
Rashleigh,  thus  the  time  of  my  visit  was  very  favour 
able.  For  I  have  ever  found  that  men  who  are  mad 
to  fight  before  the  sending  of  the  challenge  take  a  cold 
fit  as  soon  as  the  paper  is  beyond  them.  Lord  Rash 
leigh  was  therefore  reasonable.  He  consented,  for 
Harry's  sake,  and  my  sake,  and  all  our  sakes,  to  keep 
his  wrath  warm  for  a  twelvemonth.  As  for  Mr.  Abney, 
he  had  no  thought  of  fighting.  He  must  have  slain 
every  principle  he  had  before  he  could  have  drawn 
his  sword  in  a  private  quarrel." 

"  Sister  Fanny,"  laughed  Bernicia,  "  this  is  a  very 
pretty  farce.  Let  us  call  it  '  Much  Ado  About 
Nothing.'  " 

"  'Tis  your  own  farce,  Bernicia,  made  for  you,  call 
it  what  you  like."  Then  turning  to  her  husband, 
Lady  Fanny  asked,  "  What  took  you  to  Bloomsbury, 
John  ?  " 

"  After  leaving  Lord  Rashleigh  I  thought  I  might 
as  well  see  your  Uncle  Bouverie,  and  so  went  to  his 
warehouse.  Mr.  Abney  had  not  been  at  business  that 
day,  and  Bouverie  was  instantly  in  a  hurry  to  reach 
his  house  in  Bloomsbury.  He  asked  me  to  go  with 
him,  and  I,  feeling  inclined  to  see  the  matter  out,  did 
so.  We  found  Lord  Rashleigh's  second,  young  Dor- 
rington,  already  there ;  also  Mr.  Whitefield.  The 
challenge  had  been  offered,  but  not  accepted.  It  lay 
upon  the  table  between  the  men,  and  Mr.  Whitefield's 
Bible  was  upon  it.  By  Heaven  !  there  was  not  a  man 
of  us,  Fanny,  who  cared  to  lift  the  book  and  take  the 
paper  from  beneath  it.  I  wonder  who  sent  the 
preacher  there  ! " 

"  I  sent  Tarset  to  Mr.  Abney  and  she  went  to  Mr. 


THE    QUARRELSOME    DISEASE.  195 

Whitefield,"  said  Bernicia.  "  I  bless  myself  for  doing 
so.  It  seems  the  Methodist  preacher  was  a  match  for 
two  courtiers  and  two  merchants.  On  my  honour, 
swords  ought  to  go  out  of  fashion  ! " 

Lord  Pomfret  laughed  heartily  and  answered,  "  My 
dear  little  pepper-corn,  do  not  set  your  words  to 
biting.  Mr.  Abney  stood  bravely  by  his  principles, 
and  Lord  Rashleigh  was  not  afraid  to  fight.  Expedi 
ency,  Bernicia,  expediency.  It  makes  all  kinds  of 
fools  sensible  men  sometimes.  As  for  young  Dor- 
rington,  he  will  hold  his  tongue  for  a  consideration, 
though  it  may  cost  me  a  losing  game  or  two  and  a 
place  in  the  Foreign  Office." 

"  Do  you  think  Mr.  Whitefield  will  name  the  sub 
ject,  John?" 

"I  did  not  even  think  it  necessary  to  ask  his  silence. 
For  an  hour  after  dinner  I  heard  him  read  and  speak, 
and  I  wonder  no  longer  at  Bolingbroke  and  Chester 
field  and  Pultney.  The  man  is  a  miracle.  I  brought 
him  to  his  lodging  in  my  carriage,  and,  in  truth  and 
good  faith,  Fanny,  if  I  were  not  a  courtier  I  would 
turn  a  Methodist." 

"  Will  wonders  ever  cease  ?  There  is  nothing  now 
left  to  be  astonished  at.  If  you  are  John  Pomfret,  as 
I  suppose  you  are,  swear  at  me  a  little,  that  I  may  be 
sure  I  have  my  senses.  And  now  pray  tell  me  what 
my  Uncle  Bouverie  said  to  George  Abney  ?  " 

"  He  seemed  to  be  well  pleased  with  the  young  man, 
Fanny.  I  cannot  say  as  much  for  your  grandmother. 
She  looked  at  him  very  strangely  and  said  it  was 
well  for  Lord  Rashleigh  that  he  had  challenged 
George  Abney  and  not  her  grandson,  Sir  Harry  Cress- 
well.  '  There  would  have  been  no  put-off,  and  no  let- 


196  BERNICIA. 

off,  in  that  case,'  she  said,  and  I  vow,  Fanny,  the  old 
lady  cut  her  beef  into  small  pieces  with  all  the  passion 
imaginable." 

Harry  smiled  a  little  sadly.  "  I  fear  grandmother 
is  right,"  he  answered.  "  I  should  have  thought  of 
myself  first.  George  and  Rashleigh  thought  of  others 
first.  Their  nobility  and  bravery  are  beyond  mine." 

"  Our  mountain  has  brought  forth  its  little  mouse, 
Fanny,"  said  Bernicia  disdainfully,  "  and  we  may  now 
go  to  bed  and  to  sleep."  But  at  the  open  door  she 
paused,  drew  her  scarlet  shawl  more  tightly  around 
her,  and  with  an  incomparable  scorn  in  her  face  and 
voice  added  : 

"The  two  men  are  two  cowards.  I  will  never 
speak  to  either  of  them  again." 


CHAPTER   X. 

BERNICIA'S  INTERFERENCE. 

IT  is  out  of  the  past  we  must  shape  the  present, 
and  Bernicia  could  not  escape  this  inexorable 
sequence.  She  vowed  she  would  never  speak  to  her 
lovers  again,  but  it  was  beyond  her  power  to  dismiss 
by  a  resolution  personalities  that  had  become  part  of 
her  own.  Bernicia's  passions  were  Bernicia  herself, 
and  she  would  have  been  nothing  without  them. 
And  Lord  Pomfret's  description  of  the  fighting  fiasco 
filled  her  with  rage.  What  right  had  these  men  to 
make  her  an  excuse  for  their  private  tempers  ?  But 
having  done  so,  what  an  impertinence  to  link  her  name 
with  a  "  shab-off,"  for  she  could  find  no  word  so 
expressive  as  this  North  Country  term  for  a  cowardly 
retreat. 

To  all  her  passionate  invectives  Tarset  listened  with 
sympathy.  She  disliked  people  without  weaknesses, 
and  generally  found  it  easier  to  bear  the  follies  of 
passion  than  the  selfishness  of  prudence  ;  so  Bernicia's 
opinions  about  her  lovers  were  not  contradicted.  She 
only  said  at  every  fresh  accusation  :  "  It  was  just  what 
might  have  been  expected.  What  with  one  thing,  and 
what  with  another,  men  were  nothing  but  trouble 
makers,  and  every  woman,  old  and  young,  was  bound 
to  have  trouble  through  them."  And  finally  this  gen 
eralising  of  the  offence  did  bring  some  consolation. 


198  BERNICIA. 

It  took  the  personal  sting  out  of  the  girl's  chagrin. 
It  is  individual  annoyances  that  are  hard  to  bear  ; 
when  they  become  general  they  become  tolerable. 

Yet  some  weeks  of  restless  unhappiness  followed 
this  event.  Bernicia  knew  that  the  private  opinion 
of  her  relatives  was  very  similar  to  her  own,  and  it 
appeared  to  her  they  affected  a  quite  unnecessary 
satisfaction  in  the  result  of  their  interference.  Harry 
alone  made  no  pretences.  He  admitted  the  necessity 
for  this  interference,  but  he  also  resented  it.  His  first 
anger  had  been  directed  to  his  sister,  but  his  real 
anger  fell  upon  Rashleigh.  The  man  had  certainly 
done  him  a  courtesy  in  the  king's  presence,  but  Harry 
now  understood  that  it  had  been  done  to  further  his 
own  suit  with  Bernicia.  Supposing,  however,  that 
the  kindness  had  been  quite  unselfish,  it  had  been 
cancelled  by  the  selfishness  of  a  quarrel  so  incon 
tinent  and  imprudent.  Harry  could  not  think  of 
Rashleigh  without  burning  cheeks  and  tingling  fingers, 
for  he  felt  keenly  that  the  morning  of  his  new  life  had 
been  clouded  by  Rashleigh's  thoughtless  temper. 

Harry  sent  him  no  message.  He  did  not  trouble  him 
to  fulfil  the  engagements  he  had  made.  It  was  Lord 
Pomfret  who  introduced  him  to  the  clubs  and  coffee 
houses  ;  who  took  him  to  the  court  tailors  and  drapers 
and  mercers  ;  who  found  him  a  fashionable  lodging  in 
London  ;  and  who,  in  the  space  of  one  week,  launched 
the  recreated  baronet  upon  the  gay  tide  of  pleasure 
which  was  beginning  to  flow  again  toward  St.  James's 
and  the  court  precincts. 

Indeed,  Lord  Rashleigh  seemed  to  have  forgotten 
that  he  had  promised  to  fill  this  office.  He  was  so 
madly  in  love  that  he  could  only  think  of  Bernicia 


BERNICIA'S  INTERFERENCE.  199 

and  of  such  events  as  related  to  her  ;  for,  so  far  as  she 
was  concerned,  all  things  had  gone  contrary  to  their 
seeming.  His  favour  to  Harry,  and  his  breakneck  ride 
to  Richmond  with  the  news  of  the  pardon,  should 
have  brought  his  own  suit  the  highest  favour,  and 
the  supreme  happiness  of  a  delicious  certainty.  He 
expected  as  much.  Alas  !  all  his  hopes  had  ended 
in  estrangement  and  disappointment.  Bernicia  re 
fused  to  see  him.  She  rejected  his  offerings  and 
would  not  even  answer  his  letters. 

In  those  days  men  of  fashion  and  leisure  had  far 
fewer  interests  than  at  present,  and  they  were  also  far 
more  in  earnest  about  the  things  which  did  interest 
them.  Self-denial  was  a  scarcely  comprehended 
virtue  in  love  affairs,  and  self-effacement  still  more 
unusual.  A  great  passion  entirely  possessed  them  and 
drove  every  other  subject  out  of  consideration. 
Rashleigh  thought  of  nothing  but  Bernicia.  He 
could  not  eat,  nor  sleep,  nor  in  any  way  amuse  him 
self.  Even  cards  had  lost  their  charm.  He  found 
nothing  worth  staking  for.  Bernicia's  face  haunted 
him  perpetually.  He  thought  of  her  in  a  hundred 
different  ways,  but  most  of  all,  in  that  splendid  mood 
of  anger  and  contempt  in  the  holly  walk.  To  subdue 
this  beautiful,  imperious  creature  to  his  love  and 
his  will  was  the  master  passion  filling  his  life  ;  to  be 
cast  off  by  her  sunk  him  into  the  depths  of  burning 
despair.  In  such  a  condition,  how  could  he  care  for 
Harry  Cresswell's  lodgings  and  tailors  and  social 
amusements  ? 

It  was  perhaps  as  well  he  did  not  try  to  do  so,  for 
Harry  evinced  at  once  a  disposition  to  order  his  life 
to  his  own  liking.  "  Your  brother  is  as  masterful  as 


200  BERNICIA. 

your  lovely  self,  dear  Fanny,"  said  Lord  Pomfret  to 
his  wife,  after  a  few  days  in  Harry's  company.  "  In 
faith,  he  may  take  his  own  way  for  me.  I  never  saw 
a  man  with  such  a  palpable  will.  It  runs  mother- 
naked  through  his  every  word  and  deed.  I  would  not 
try  to  contradict  him — unless  I  wanted  to  fight  him." 

"  It  is  the  truth,"  answered  Fanny,  with  an  air  of 
satisfaction.  "  That  is  the  Cresswell  way.  Father 
was  just  so.  Bernicia  is  not  to  be  reasoned  with. 
I  have  a  pretty  little  will  of  my  own,  but  you  would 
not  have  the  rudeness  to  wish  it  less,  would  you, 
John  ? "  And  Lord  Pomfret  instantly  made  the 
proper  answer  in  the  proper  form. 

"  What  has  Harry  been  doing  to-day,  John  ?  " 

"  The  maddest  thing  he  could  do.  He  has  taken 
Allan  Cresswell  out  of  prison,  and  sent  him  north 
with  fifty  pounds  in  his  pocket.  It  cost  me  one  hun 
dred  to  put  him  in  prison.  Are  you  not  going  to  be 
either  angry  or  amazed,  Fanny  ?  " 

"  I  have  used  my  temper  upon  the  subject.  I  knew 
Harry  intended  that  very  thing.  George  Whitefield 
told  him  to  do  it."  Then  Fanny  related  the  circum 
stance,  and  Lord  Pomfret  listened  with  some  curiosity. 

"  The  Bible  again,  Fanny,"  he  answered.  "  Depend 
upon  it,  there  is  some  strange  power  in  that  book. 
I  tell  you,  I  could  not  lift  it  the  other  day,  and  I  am 
no  coward,  I  know  !  Upon  my  word,  I  shall  ask 
Bernicia  to  read  it  to  me  on  some  Sunday  night.  I 
am  tired  enough  of  romances." 

"You  will  go  to  Lady  Huntington's  the  next  thing. 
You  will  turn  Methodist,  and  sing  hymns  with  Bath 
and  Chesterfield.  Oh,  John  !  John  !  I  do  not  pre 
tend  to  know  what  will  be  the  consequences." 


BERNICIA  S    INTERFERENCE.  2OI 

"  Ask  my  enemies,  they  will  tell  you.  Do  you  know 
that  Lord  Rashleigh  is  beside  himself  about  Bernicia? 
The  girl  ought  to  be  made  to  see  him." 

"  Will  you  make  her  ?  " 

"  Hang  it,  Fanny  !  draw  the  line  somewhere.  I 
have  the  right  to  '  make  '  you.  Can  I  do  it  ?  Bernicia 
is  beyond  my  right.  I  wonder  if  she  will  ever  forgive 
Rashleigh  !  " 

"  Why  not  ?  Women  are  angry  with  their  lovers 
that  they  may  have  the  pleasure  of  forgiving  them. 
John,  what  think  you  of  going  back  to  town  ?  You 
know  that  I  hate  the  country,  and  only  came  here  to 
pleasure  you." 

"  To  pleasure  me  !     Now,  Fanny  !  " 

"  Do  you  not  remember  how  you  longed  for  the 
green  fields  ! " 

"Green  fields  !  Why,  I  hate  to  put  my  foot  down 
unless  it  be  on  a  pavement !  " 

"And  a  boat  on  the  river,"  you  said,  "  and  a  quiet 
place  among  trees  and  flowers  !  "  and  she  looked  at 
him  with  such  a  charming  defiance,  as  she  made  these 
assertions,  that  contradiction  was  as  impossible  as  it 
was  useless. 

"  Have  it  your  own  way,  Fanny.  I  do  not  pretend  to 
know  what  I  think,  or  feel,  or  say,"  and  then  he  threw 
himself  into  a  chair,  pulled  his  long  moustache,  and 
burst  into  peal  after  peal  of  mirthful,  mocking  laughter. 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  you,  John  ?  Are  you 
laughing  at  me,  sir  ?  " 

"  No,  my  dear.  I  am  laughing  at  women  in 
general — thinking  how  you  all  go  solemnly  to  church 
and  promise  to  honour  and  obey,  and  never  intend  to 
do  anything  of  the  sort." 


2O2  BERNICIA. 

"Then  laugh  again  at  the  men,  who  are  silly 
enough  to  think  women  may  perhaps  intend  it.  And 
while  you  are  laughing,  bless  yourself  also,  John, 
because  women  do  take  their  own  way, — which  is 
generally  a  wise  one, — instead  of  their  husbands'  way, 
which  is  always  a  foolish  one.  Are  you  willing  to  go 
back  to  town,  sir  ?  " 

"  It  will  be  a  great  pleasure  to  return  home." 

"  Then  stop  in  Piccadilly  this  morning,  and  swear 
at  the  men  and  maids  a  little.  Tell  them  I  shall  be 
home  in  a  couple  of  days.  I  feel  in  a  hurry,  John, 
for  Harry  alone  in  London  ought  to  have  someone  to 
look  after  him." 

"  Are  you  going  to  look  after  Sir  Harry  Cresswell  ? 
You  will  have  your  hands  full,  I  promise  you." 

"I  look  after  Lord  John  Pomfret,  and  have  my 
heart  full,"  and  she  crowned  the  words  with  a  charm 
ing  smile  and  courtesy  that  swept  her  into  his  arms. 
So  he  kissed  her  fondly,  and  went  away,  and  she 
waved  her  scarf  to  him  at  the  turn  of  the  road,  and 
he  walked  proudly  and  happily  to  his  boat,  and  went 
down  the  river  humming  : 

*'  Drink  to  me  only  with  thine  eyes." 

As  soon  as  he  had  gone  Bernicia  entered  with  a 
letter  in  her  hand.  "  It  is  from  Claire,"  she  said, 
"  and  I  ought  to  go  to  Bloomsbury  ;  though  to  be 
sure,  grandmother  cares  little  who  stops  away,  when 
she  can  see  Harry." 

"  But  she  cannot  see  Harry." 

"On  the  contrary,  Harry  has  called  thrice  this 
week  to  see  her." 


BERNICIA'S  INTERFERENCE.  203 

"  Did  not  Uncle  William  forbid  him  his  house  ?  " 

"  He  forbade  Claire  to  see  or  speak  to  Harry.     Noth 
ing  could  make  uncle  shut  his  door  against  a  visitor 
whom  grandmother  wished  to  see.     Evidently  she  has 
sent  for  Harry,  and  if  Harry  is  disposed  to  visit  her, 
he  is  sure  to  do  so." 

"  How  unpleasant !  Well,  Bernicia,  we  are  going 
back  to  London  on  Thursday." 

"  Then  if  it  please  you,  Fanny,  I  will  see  Tarset 
pack  my  things  to-day,  and  go  into  town  to-morrow. 
I  can  stay  with  Claire  until  Thursday  evening,  and  so 
escape  the  hurry,  and  worry,  and  scolding,  and  con 
fusion  of  the  change.  And  I  do  feel  a  little  poorly. 
I  do  indeed,  Fanny.  I  cannot  bear  much  more  at 
present." 

"  So  you  will  jump  out  of  the  frying-pan  into  the 
fire.  The  hurry  and  worry  of  the  change  are  only 
surface  troubles  ;  but  at  Bloomsbury,  grandmother 
will  put  you  through  a  ten  hours'  catechism,  and 
Uncle  William  look  a  thousand  disapprovals ;  and 
Claire  want  sympathy  enough  to  wear  you  out  to  the 
last  shred.  Besides,  will  not  George  understand  your 
visit  to  mean  a  desire  for  reconciliation  ?  " 

"  Reconciliation  indeed  !  George  is  in  Gloucester, 
or  I  should  not  go  to  Bloomsbury.  George  knows 
already  that  I  shall  never  speak  to  him  again." 

"  That  is  absolute  folly.  You  are  a  beauty,  but  you 
cannot  throw  your  lovers  about  as  if  they  were  hazel 
nuts.  To  be  sure,  Thomas  Darner  is  very  much  your 
servant,  and  he  might  take  the  place  of  George  Abney. 
But  Thomas  Darner  is  not  a  desirable  man  for  you  to 
marry.  Horses  are  all  he  cares  for,  and  he  is  gallop- 
ping  his  fine  estate  away  at  a  break-neck  speed." 


204  BERNICIA. 

"  In  marriage,  money  is  only  one  thing." 

"  It  is  a  very  good  and  great  thing." 

"  I  shall  marry  for  love,  Fanny." 

"  Very  well,  but  love  sensibly.  However,  our  first 
consideration  now  is  *  up  to  London  town ' ;  and 
what  a  blessing  we  have  London  town  to  go  to  ! 
Once  we  are  there,  Bloomsbury  follows  naturally. 
Harry  will  also  be  able  to  tell  us  just  what  are  the 
state  of  affairs  there." 

"I  know  how  they  are.  Uncle  William  will  be 
stern  and  grave,  Claire  sad  and  tearful,  and  grand 
mother  will  scold  a  little.  Claire  says  grandmother 
is  always  fretful  on  the  days  Harry  does  not  visit 
her." 

"  Do  you  think  that  Harry  goes  to  visit  her  alone? 
Such  a  thing  is  not  to  be  believed.  Take  my  word 
for  it,  he  sees  Claire  also." 

"  I  would  take  no  one's  word  for  that — not  even 
George  Whitefield's.  Claire  has  given  uncle  her 
promise.  She  will  keep  her  word,  whatever  happens." 

"  Promises  that  make  other  people  miserable  ought 
not  to  be  kept.  Just  think  of  poor  Harry  !  " 

"  Uncle  William  is  to  think  of,  too." 

"  Harry  is  nearer  to  me." 

"I  daresay  Harry  has  all  his  plans  laid  for 
success." 

"  Plans  !  Nonsense  !  Plans  never  succeed.  Other 
people  plan  against  your  plans.  In  love  affairs 
chance  is  more  potent  than  forethought.  Fore 
thought  has  nothing  but  probabilities  to  work  on. 
Chance  looks  to  the  stars,  to  circumstances,  to  oppor 
tunities,  and  these  things  work  miracles.  Oh,  I  know 
it  !  Tell  Harry  to  trust  to  chance.  I  do  not  see,  for 


BERNICIA'S  INTERFERENCE.  205 

my  part,  why  he  should  not  have  the  girl  when  he 
loves  her  so  dearly." 

"  And  she  loves  him.     I  know  it." 

"  She  has  money  ? "  said  Fanny  musingly. 

"  Lots  of  money." 

"  Cresswell  is  not  going  to  rack  and  ruin  as  badly 
as  Allan  Cresswell  said  it  was.  But,  then,  it  is  out  of 
repair  a  little  ;  is  it  not,  sister  ?" 

"  It  is  very  much  out  of  repair,  Fanny." 

"  Lots  of  money  would  make  it  one  of  the  finest 
places  in  Northumberland." 

"  It  would,  Fanny." 

"  Then  I  do  hope  you  will  keep  that  fact  in  your 
mind,  Bernicia.  It  is  the  plainest  thing  in  the  world 
to  me  that  Harry  ought  to  marry  Claire  Abney.  I 
only  wish  the  girl  had  a  few  more  faults.  People 
without  faults  are  terrible  ;  there  is  no  way  to  manage 
them.  If  Claire  would  only  break  her  word  and  see 
Harry." 

"  She  will  not." 

"  Circumstances  alter  cases,  and  love  makes  people 
over  again.  You  will  keep  Cresswell  in  mind  ? " 

"  I  never  forget  the  dear  old  home." 

"  Claire  is  only  a  woman,  Bernicia." 

"  Only  a  woman,  Fanny  ;  and  a  woman  in  love." 

"  A  poor  creature,  then.  Here  comes  Arabella 
Darner,  another  'poor  creature  '  for  Harry's  sake." 

"  Make  excuses  for  me,  Fanny.  I  can  bear  no 
*  poor  creature  '  but  myself  to-day,"  and,  laughing 
scornfully  at  her  own  accusation,  she  left  the  room  in 
a  hurry. 

The  confusion  and  discomfort  which  Bernicia  an 
ticipated  were  fully  realised  during  the  following 


206  BERNICIA. 

week,  the  ways  and  means  for  such  domestic  changes 
being  then  of  a  character  both  tedious  and  cumbrous. 
Even  when  London  was  reached  there  was  a  crowd 
of  servants  and  tradesmen  employed  in  beautifying 
the  Piccadilly  mansion,  and  the  household  was  rest 
less  and  irregular.  Much  new  furniture  had  been 
bought,  and  the  bustle  of  its  arrival,  the  discussions 
attending  its  arrangement,  and  the  constant  calls  upon 
her  attention  and  approval  wearied  Bernicia  ;  for  she 
had  lost  her  childlike  delight  in  her  mere  surround 
ings,  all  her  thoughts  and  feelings  being  for  the  time 
possessed  by  that  vague  melancholy  which  life  distils 
from  love,  and  disillusions,  and  vain  regrets. 

In  Richmond  she  had  felt  a  passing  eagerness  to  go 
to  Bloomsbury,  but  she  had  been  more  than  a  week 
in  London  before  she  roused  herself  to  the  unusual 
effort.  Then  one  morning  she  had  a  letter  which 
filled  her  with  remorse.  "Come  to  me,  Bernicia  ;  I 
need  you  very  much,"  wrote  Claire.  The  few  words 
went  to  Bernicia's  heart  like  the  cry  of  a  child  ;  tears, 
longing,  sorrow,  she  knew  not  what  else  of  calamity 
was  in  them,  and  she  prepared  with  haste,  yet  with 
great  care,  for  an  immediate  visit. 

Just  as  her  coach  came  to  the  door,  Harry  called. 
He  was  richly  and  fashionably  dressed  in  a  brocaded 
suit  of  claret-coloured  velvet,  with  a  vest  of  cream- 
white  satin.  His  laces  were  of  the  finest  point,  his 
shoes  clasped  with  diamond  buckles.  A  slight  air  of 
melancholy  shadowed  his  face,  but  he  was  withal  as 
noble  and  stately  looking  a  young  man  as  could  be 
found  in  London.  Bernicia  smiled  at  him  with  affec 
tionate  pride. 

"You  are  extremely  handsome,  Harry,"  she  said  ; 


BERNICIA'S  INTERFERENCE.  207 

**but  pray,  sir,  what  has  become  of  your  old 
sword  ? " 

He  glanced  almost  disdainfully  at  the  diamond- 
hilted  weapon  at  his  side,  and  answered  :  "  My  old 
sword  is  not  for  this  life.  I  have  put  it  out  of  my 
sight  until  I  go  to  Cresswell.  Then  I  will  cross  it 
with  my  grandfather's  in  the  state  dining-hall.  Do 
you  remember,  Bernicia,  the  long,  notched  broad 
sword  that  lay  in  the  chest  with  his  bloody  clothing  ?  " 

"  The  clothing  had  dropped  to  pieces  nearly,  Harry. 
How  our  hearts  used  to  beat  when  we  pushed  up  the 
lid  in  the  dark  room  and  looked  at  the  laced  coat  and 
waistcoat  stained  with  blood,  and  the  battered  hat, 
and  the  empty  shoes,  and  the  long,  black  sword  on 
the  top  of  all  !  " 

"  He  died  in  the  battlefield.  He  gave  his  life.  I 
gave  my  youth  to  a  lost  cause  ;  our  swords  may  hang 
together."  There  was  a  moment's  pause,  and  then 
Harry  said  sharply  : 

"  You  are  going  out,  I  see  ?  " 

"  I  am  going  to  spend  the  day  with  Claire." 

"  Then  I  trust,  Bernicia,  you  will  have  spirit 
enough,  and  kindness  enough,  to  say  a  few  words 
for  me." 

"  You  have  stood  by  me,  Harry,  very  well.  I  am 
your  loving  sister,  and  will  do  your  pleasure  when 
ever,  and  wherever,  and  however  I  can." 

"  It  is  with  Claire  entirely.  I  love  her  to  extremity. 
I  am  determined  to  marry  her." 

"  You  have  heard  that  from  her  baby  days  she  has 
been  betrothed  to  a  gentleman  called  Hutton." 

"  What  do  I  care  for  the  gentleman  called  Hutton  ? 
In  spite  of  the  dead  and  the  living,  I  will  marry  her." 


208  BERNICIA. 

"  It  shall  not  be  my  fault,  Harry,  if  you  fail." 

"  Bernicia,  what  shall  I  give  you  for  your  kindness  ?  " 

"  You  may  give  me  two  kisses,  if  you  will  not  touch 
my  bonnet.  Am  I  not  very  handsome  this  morning  ; 
take  care,  sir,  you  will  crush  the  pink  bow  under  my 
chin." 

"  You  are  very  kind  and  very  handsome,  and  your 
beauty  becomes  you  as  the  roses  become  the  brier 
bush?" 

"  Thank  you,  Harry  !  'Tis  a  pretty  compliment, 
sir.  I  will  cry  your  praises,  sir,  for  it,  do  not  doubt. 
Give  me  leave  now  to  say  good  morning  !  for  Claire 
is  in  trouble,  and  she  sends  for  me." 

"  Tell  her  I  love  her  with  a  noble  madness — that  I 
have  no  reason  left  in  my  love." 

"  She  will  be  afraid  of  such  '  noble  madness,'  I 
think.  Claire's  nature  is  so  gentle  that  love  will 
burn  gently, in  it  ;  in  truth,  my  dear  Harry,  its  flame 
will  be  most  like  incense  on  an  altar." 

"  For  this  very  cause,  I  give  her  such  transcendent 
passion.  The  fearful  love  that  trembled  in  her  eyes 
when  I  began  to  speak  of  love,  kindled  in  my  heart 
a  flame  as  mighty  as  it  is  invisible.  Tell  her  these 
things  ;  say  that  the  sun  will  weary  of  rising  ere  I 
weary  of  loving  her  ;  say  that  if  I  saw  her  every  day, 
and  all  the  day,  yet  every  day  would  still  be  the  first, 
and  I  should  long  to  see  her  more  ;  say  that  there  is 
not  a  letter  in  her  name  but  has  a  special  charm  to 
draw  me  to  her  feet  ;  say " 

"  Indeed,  Harry,  I  should  need  your  tongue  to 
speak  so  convincingly  ;  but  trust  me  no  more,  if  I  do 
not  teach  her  that  she  loves  you.  Who  should  be 
loved  but  you  ?  " 


BERNICIA'S  INTERFERENCE.  209 

"  Then  haste,  Bernicia,  and  do  not  fail  to  notice 
how  she  looks,  and  what  she  says,  and  if  you  see  her 
weep,  kiss  every  tear  away  for  me." 

Bernicia's  first  interview  was,  however,  with 
madame.  She  had  heard  the  approach  of  a  carriage, 
and  rose  to  meet  her  visitor.  Bernicia  was  a  momentary 
disappointment.  "  I  thought  it  was  Harry,"  she  said. 
"  Have  you  at  last  remembered  the  way  to  Bloomsbury 
Square  ?  Ah,  child,  child  !  could  you  find  nothing 
else  to  do  in  the  country  but  breed  quarrels  and  make 
mischief,  and  take  good  men  from  their  business  to 
undo  your  foolishness  ?  " 

"  It  was  not  my  fault,  grandmother." 
"  I  cannot  believe  that  it  was  George's  fault." 
"Then  it  was  Lord  Rashleigh's  fault." 
"  A  good   thing   for   my  lord   that   he   challenged 
George,   and   not   your  brother    Harry.     If   he   had 
called  out  Harry,  Harry  would  have  made  him  eat  the 
last  word  of  his  challenge.     Challenge,  indeed !  " 
"  George  is  no  coward,  grandmother." 
"  Oh,  no  !     George  stood  by  his  principle." 
"  And  Lord  Rashleigh  is  a  man  of  honour." 
"  They   are,  then,  it   seems,  both   men   of  honour. 
Honour  !     Honour  is  as  good  a  shield  as  principle,  it 
appears." 

"  Lord  Rashleigh  is  the  finest  swordsman  in 
London." 

"  We  will  except  Harry." 

"  And  he  put  our  welfare  before  his  own  gratifica 
tion  ;  for  I  have  no  doubt  it  would  have  gratified  him 
hugely  to  have  had  Mr.  George  Abney  at  his  sword's 
point." 

"  We  are  all  much  obliged  to  Lord  Rashleigh  for 


210  BERNICIA. 

considering  our  welfare.  All  the  same,  someone 
showed  the  white  feather." 

"  Are  you  sorry  there  was  no  duel,  grandmother  ?  " 

"  Is  it  your  place  to  question  your  elders,  miss  ? 
Go  upstairs  to  Claire.  She  is  sick,  or  she  has  the 
vapours.  I  know  not  what  is  the  matter.  Girls  are 
now  past  understanding.  When  I  was  a  girl  I  was 
never  sick  or  whimsied.  Have  you  seen  Harry  this 
morning  ? " 

"  Yes.  He,  too,  is  sick  or  whimsied.  The  young 
men  also,  it  seems,  grandmother,  are  now  past  under 
standing.  They  used  to  love,  and  fight,  and  marry, 
and  stand  by  their  word  with  their  life,  or  else  all  the 
old  men  I  have  met  are  liars.  Lord  Brander  says  all 
the  young  men  are  fools  ;  wisdom  and  virtue  dwell 
with  the  old  men.  'Tis  a  mercy  the  old  men  are  like 
old  dogs,  and  don't  learn  new  tricks.  If  they  did, 
what  would  become  of  the  world  ?  " 

"  Bernicia,  you  are  talking  rubbish  to  me,"  and 
madame  lifted  her  knitting,  and  began  to  attentively 
count  her  stitches. 

So  Bernicia  went  slowly  upstairs.  She  had  a 
mischievous  smile  on  her  face,  but  she  could  not 
escape,  without  a  direct  exercise  of  her  will,  the 
influence  of  the  house.  It  was  as  still  as  if  the  very 
walls  and  furniture  were  asleep.  To  have  opened 
Claire's  door  with  rapidity  would  have  seemed  an  act 
of  violence,  and  she  entered  the  room  with  her  whole 
being  on  tip-toe.  Claire  was  unconscious  of  her 
entry.  She  lay  on  a  sofa  drawn  before  a  fire, 
wrapped  in  a  white  shawl,  and  apparently  asleep. 
Her  face  was  white,  and  had  that  look  of  fragility 
which  a  flower  has  when  it  droops  upon  its  stem. 


BERNICIA  S    INTERFERENCE.  211 

Bernicia's  eyes  filled  with  tears,  and  when  Claire 
suddenly  looked  up  at  her,  she  fell  on  her  knees  and 
gathered  her  in  her  arms,  and  cried  over  her  with 
girlish  abandonment.  "  Why  did  you  not  tell  me  you 
were  sick,  Claire  ?  Why  did  you  not  send  for  me  ?  " 
she  cried.  "  Oh,  my  dear,  my  dear,  what  is  the  matter 
with  you  ? " 

"  I  am  just  weak  and  weary,  Bernicia.  It  has  been 
such  a  sad  summer.  The  days  have  been  years  long. 
I  thought  you  would  never  come." 

"  I  am  ashamed  of  myself.  We  have  all  been 
behaving  badly,  and  you  have  had  to  bear  the  con 
sequences — you,  and  poor  Harry,  who  is  as  miserable 
as  a  man  can  be." 

"  He  comes  to  see  madame,  but  I  cannot  see  him," 
and  she  covered  her  white  face  with  her  hands,  and 
wept  behind  them. 

"It  is  a  shame!  It  is  Uncle  William's  fault. 
Never  mind,  I  shall  tell  him  the  truth  about  himself, 
before  long.  Claire,  listen  !  I  have  a  message  for 
you,  if  I  can  find  the  words  Harry  sent.  They  were 
to  tell  you  that  he  has  but  one  longing  left,  to  see 
your  face,  and  hear  your  voice  ;  that  he  comes  here 
that  he  may  feel  himself  near  you  ;  that  you  are 
the  woman  of  all  his  hopes  and  dreams,  the  treasure 
of  his  soul,  the  fire  of  his  heart,  the  life  of  his  life. 
He  speaks  no  more  of  Cresswell,  nor  of  the  court,  nor 
of  play,  nor  of  fashion,  nor  of  beauty  ;  all  his  talk  is 
of  you.  His  eyes,  and  ears,  and  heart  are  full  of  your 
perfections  ;  indeed,  Claire,  he  has  left  his  heart  with 
you,  and  carries  round  with  him  an  empty  casket. 
These  seem  foolish  words,  dear,  but  they  are  the 
wisest  I  can  find.  If  I  could  coin  new  ones,  I  might 


212  BERNICIA. 

perhaps  tell  better  how  Harry  loves  you.  I  wish  to 
Heaven  I  had  a  lover  half  so  tender  and  so  sensible. 
Fire  and  water  should  not  separate  us  ;  no,  nor  word 
of  man  or  woman  ;  nor  bond  nor  honour." 

"  Your  word  of  honour,  Bernicia,  you  could  not 
break  that." 

"Oh,  indeed,  there  are  few  words  whose  honour 
is  worth  dying  for.  Uncle  William  took  you  at  an 
advantage,  when  you  knew  not  what  to  say  or  what 
to  do.  You  are  a  little  coward,  Claire.  When  he 
stepped  between  you  and  Harry  why  did  you  run 
away  ? " 

"  I  was  afraid.  I  was  told  by  a  look  to  go,  and  I 
had  never  disobeyed  all  my  life." 

"  Claire,  you  know  that  Harry  loves  you  and  lives 
for  you.  Is  he  not  equally  in  your  heart  ?  Yes,  he 
is,  dear.  I  know  it  ;  and  you  know  it ;  and  if  you  will 
confess  so  much  of  the  truth  to  me,  I  will  be  your 
friend  in  this  matter.  I  am  not  afraid  of  Uncle 
William." 

Blushes  bright  and  rosy  wavered  over  Claire's  brow 
and  cheeks,  a  smile  parted  her  lips,  and  the  eyes  she 
lifted  to  Bernicia  were  beaming  with  tenderness  and 
hope.  The  girls  kissed  each  other,  and  in  the  kiss 
the  secret  was  sweetly  shared.  Then  followed  one  of 
those  long,  sympathetic  confidences  which  take  the 
sting  out  of  womanly  sorrows.  Bernicia  put  off  her 
taffeta  sacque  and  petticoat,  and  put  on  a  chamber 
wrap  of  flannel  ;  she  drew  a  stool  to  the  side  of  the 
sofa,  and  at  Claire's  request,  "  began  at  the  beginning," 
about  Harry's  interview  with  the  king,  about  the  joy 
ous  first  evening  of  his  pardon  and  freedom  ;  about 
the  quarrel  of  Rashleigh  and  George,  and  the  duel 


BERNICIA  S    INTERFERENCE.  213 

which  was  not  fought.  Of  these  affairs  Claire  had 
heard  in  general  ;  but  all  their  interesting  little  details 
were  new  to  her. 

Thus  Bernicia  described  everything  that  had  been 
said  and  done.  They  talked  over  the  part  Mr.  White- 
field  had  taken,  and  Lord  Pomfret's  interference,  and 
the  attitude  assumed  by  George  Abney  and  William 
Bouverie.  Perhaps  Bernicia  was  a  little  hard  on 
George,  and  Claire  did  not  defend  him  very  warmly  ; 
for  a  case  between  moral  principle  and  physical 
bravery  is  almost  prejudged.  Women  at  any  rate 
approve  the  first,  and  adore  the  latter  ;  and  both  girls, 
at  the  end,  came  to  madame's  opinion,  that  Lord 
Rashleigh  would  have  been  forced  to  fight  if  he  had 
challenged  Harry  instead  of  George  ;  and  both  felt  a 
thrill  of  satisfaction  in  this  decision. 

By  the  time  Bernicia  had  told  her  story  she  was 
hungry.  She  ordered  lunch  to  be  brought  upstairs, 
and  Claire  was  astonished  to  find  herself  enjoying 
its  delicacies.  So  far  Claire  had  questioned  and 
listened,  and  Bernicia  talked.  After  lunch,  Bernicia 
began  to  question.  Had  Claire  seen  Harry  in  his 
new  wine-coloured  suit  ;  or  his  blue  velvet  laced  with 
silver  ;  or  his  court  dress  of  white  satin  embroidered 
in  gold  ?  "  Harry,"  she  said,  "  had  always  visited 
madame  in  his  fineries,  and  she  knew  it  was  only 
because  he  hoped  Claire  would  also  see  him." 

Claire  shook  her  head.  "  I  always  heard  his  coach," 
she  answered  sadly,  "  and  I  longed  to  go  to  my  win 
dow,  but  it  wouft  not  have  been  right.  Sometimes  I 
walked  about  the  floor  too  miserable  to  sit  still  ;  and 
sometimes  I  laid  myself  on  my  bed  and  buried  my 
face  in  my  pillow  and  cried  bitterly." 


214  BERN1CIA. 

"  I  should  have  moved  the  blind,  and  looked  at  him 
through  the  window,  Claire.  Any  woman  but  you 
would  have  done  so.  Poor  Harry  !  He  has  been 
lifting  his  hat  and  wasting  his  love  looks  on  mere 
wood  and  glass,  for  he  always  looked  up  and  bowed 
toward  your  windows  on  his  coining  and  going." 

When  it  was  mid-afternoon  there  was  a  little  lull  in 
the  conversation,  and  after  a  few  minutes'  pause,  Claire 
said,  "  We  have  been  so  happy,  and  our  talk  of  Harry 
has  been  so  sweet,  that  I  would  not  name  any  other 
person  with  him.  But  there  is  another,  Bernicia,  and 
this  is  what  makes  me  so  wretched.  Mr.  Hutton  has 
come  home.  He  dines  with  us  nearly  every  after 
noon,  and  our  marriage  is  talked  about  in  that  settled 
way  so  impossible  to  contradict.  It  is  killing  me, 
Bernicia." 

"  You  will  never  marry  him.  When  Fate  was 
looking  forward  one  day,  she  named  you  for  Harry 
Cresswell.  Look  you,  Claire  !  You  ought  to  speak 
up,  and  speak  out.  What  kind  of  a  creature  has 
this  Mr.  Hutton  grown  into  ?  " 

"  He  is  nothing  like  Harry." 

"  Of  course  he  is  nothing  like  Harry.  Who  is  to  be 
compared  with  Harry?  Claire,  I  have  a  new  idea. 
Do  you  mind  being  too  sick  to  come  down  to  dinner 
to-night  ?  " 

"  I  shall  be  most  glad  to  remain  in  my  room." 

"  Do  so,  then  ;  it  will  suit  my  idea  exactly.  Now  I 
am  going  to  make  myself  killingly  handsome,  for  I 
hope  to  have  the  honour  of  enchaining  Mr.  Hutton. 
Mr.  Oliver  Augustus  Hutton,  is  it  not  ?  I  am  glad  I 
wore  my  rose  taffeta  ;  it  is  so  vastly  becoming  tome." 

To  dress  herself  was  always  a  satisfying  occupation 


BERNICIA  S    INTERFERENCE.  215 

to  Bernicia,  and  she  took  a  special  delight  in  the 
business  at  this  time.  Claire,  full  of  a  calm  content, 
lay  watching  her  accomplish  her  intention,  and  she 
thought  as  the  business  proceeded  that  she  had  never 
seen  Bernicia  so  lovely  and  so  ready  for  conquest.  Her 
rose  taffeta  sacque  fell  in  a  graceful  demitrain  behind, 
but  was  short  enough  in  front  to  reveal  pretty  heeled 
shoes,  trimmed  with  rose  ribbons  and  silver  buckles. 
Her  fawn-coloured  petticoat  was  embroidered  with 
roses.  Fine  lace  shaded  her  neck  and  arms,  and  her 
long,  black  hair  fell  in  a  studied  disorder  that  was 
very  charming.  And  these  things  were  only  the  frame 
to  a  face  of  bewitching  loveliness,  and  a  figure  of 
exquisite  grace  and  proportions. 

"  Am  I  not  most  engaging  ?  "  she  cried,  spreading 
out  her  skirts,  and  making  Claire  a  low  courtesy.  Her 
eyes  danced  with  mirth,  her  cheeks  were  brilliant  with 
colour,  her  mouth  rosy  and  pouting.  "  I  will  tell  you, 
Claire,"  she  continued,  "  that  I  dressed  myself  this 
morning  hoping  that  by  some  chance  I  might  be  seen 
by  George.  Is  his  presence  to  be  hoped  for  ?  " 

"  I  fear  not.  I  wish  indeed  that  he  could  see  you. 
What  will  you  do  to  him  ?  " 

"  Make  him  utterly  miserable.  I  should  like  of  all 
things  to  put  him  in  a  passion.  If  I  do  speak  to  him, 
I  shall  speak  only  of  the  unfought  duel.  I  shall  talk 
of  it  in  all  its  lights,  and  in  all  my  moods.  I  shall 
argue  the  subject  with  him  as  a  pagan  and  a  Christian, 
as  a  granddaughter  and  a  sister,  as  a  woman  at  liberty 
and  a  woman  in  love.  I  assure  you  I  have  a  fine  say 
ing  for  every  case  ;  for  the  particular  case  of  courage 
I  have  a  whole  set  of  fine  sayings.  I  will  go  now  and 
see  Mr.  Oliver  Augustus  Hutton.  Eat  a  good  dinner, 


2l6  BERNICIA. 

Claire,  and  think  of  Harry,  then  go  to  sleep  and  dream 
of  him." 

Dinner  was  ready  when  she  entered  the  room. 
Madame  was  leaning  upon  her  son's  arm,  midway 
between  the  hearth  and  the  table.  They  had  evi 
dently  stopped  there  to  welcome  a  young  man  who 
stood  bowing,  and  tapping  his  gold  snuffbox,  and 
making  explanations — a  tall,  fair  young  man,  with  a 
long  neck  and  a  weak  chin.  When  he  turned  and 
faced  Bernicia,  he  was  dumfounded.  This  radiant, 
glowing  divinity  was  not  the  pale,  frail  virgin  he 
expected  to  meet.  And  for  a  moment  or  two  William 
Bouverie  was  also  confused.  Bernicia  had  not  been 
in  his  thoughts  or  consideration,  and  her  beauty  struck 
him  as  if  he  had  never  seen  it  before.  In  his  own 
mind  he  had  resolved  to  make  her  first  visit  a  season 
of  reproofs,  and  he  was  not  able  to  say  one  disagree 
able  word.  On  the  contrary,  there  was  a  slight  air  of 
pride  in  his  introduction  of  Bernicia, — "  My  niece, 
Miss  Cresswell." 

Madame  watched  and  smiled,  and  held  her  peace. 
She  did  not  wonder  at  her  son's  complaisance, — she 
knew  Beauty  was  omnipotent, — but  she  did  wonder 
what  reason  Bernicia  might  have  for  her  alluring  atten 
tions  to  young  Mr.  Hutton.  She  chattered  to  him  and 
to  her  uncle  all  during  the  dinner  hour,  making  both 
of  them  laugh  heartily  and  frequently  at  her  little 
impertinences  of  criticism,  at  her  airs  and  caprices 
and  coquetries. 

And  when  William  Bouverie  had  retired  she  gave 
herself  up  to  the  business  of  fascinating  Claire's  lover. 
She  asked  him  to  tell  her  about  his  travels,  and 
affected  ignorance  of  many  things  that  he  might  have 


BERNICIA  S   INTERFERENCE.  217 

the  proud  satisfaction  of  enlightening  her.  She  pre 
tended  the  greatest  interest  in  his  personal  adventures. 
She  sang  for  him,  and  she  sang  with  him.  She  begged 
him  to  show  her  how  to  render  a  certain  legato  pas 
sage,  and  to  teach  her  the  trick  of  his  trill  and  turn, 
and  madame  found  it  hard  to  restrain  herself  at  her 
mockery  of  the  young  man's  voice  and  manner.  But 
he  was  under  an  enchantment.  He  saw,  and  heard, 
and  felt  only  as  Bernicia  desired  him  ;  the  perfume 
of  her  bending  face  and  floating  hair  was  a  kind  of 
intoxication,  and  her  touch  on  his  hand,  as  they  turned 
the  music,  thrilled  him  like  the  stirring  of  a  new  life. 
He  lingered  an  hour  later  than  usual,  and  left  then 
only  because  it  was  impossible  to  ignore  any  longer 
madame's  restless  impatience.  And  he  never  once 
thought  of  Claire. 

"  Well,  miss,"  said  madame  angrily,  as  soon  as  they 
were  alone,  "  I  hope  I  may  never  have  to  spend  such 
another  hour.  I  am  ashamed  of  you.  For  no 
purpose,  you  have  been  doing  evil  to  your  friend,  and 
to  a  stranger  ;  and  let  me  tell  you,  only  an  ape  does 
mischief  for  the  joy  of  doing  it." 

"  Dear  grandmother,  for  once  in  your  life  you  are 
all  in  the  wrong.  Whatever  I  have  said  and  done  to 
night  has  been  done  for  Claire's  happiness,  and  for 
Harry's  happiness.  Harry  adores  Claire,  and  Claire  is 
dying  for  Harry,  and  there  is  no  match  that  could  be 
wiser  for  both.  As  I  am  a  woman,  I  can  but  use  a 
woman's  ways  and  means  ;  but  if  you  will  have  pa 
tience,  I  will  gladly  explain  myself." 

"  Whatever  needs  to  be  explained  does  not  deserve 
to  be  explained." 

"  La,  grandmother  !  there  are  exceptions,  and  this  is 


2l8  BERNICIA. 

one  of  them.  Cresswell  is  indeed  a  magnificent  home 
and  estate,  but  it  needs  a  lot  of  money  to  put  it  in 
order.  True,  cousin  Allan  is  at  present  wearing  his 
angel  clothes,  and  has  already  sent  Harry  a  good 
return.  But  '  good  '  is  not  enough  for  Harry.  Harry 
has  the  family  to  refound,  he  has  the  castle  partly  to 
rebuild,  and  it  must  be  entirely  refurnished.  He  has 
the  farmhouses  to  repair,  and  the  land  to  refence  and 
to  improve.  He  ought  to  be  high  sheriff  of  North 
umberland.  He  ought  to  raise  a  thousand  men  for 
the  king,  and  keep  the  Border." 

"  A  thousand  men  !  " 

"  And  call  them  the  *  Cresswell  Light  Lancers.'  " 

"  What  nonsense  you  are  talking  !  A  thousand 
men  !  They  would  have  nothing  to  do." 

"  You  are  much  mistaken,  grandmother.  Union  or 
no  Union,  do  you  believe  the  Scots  will  behave  them 
selves  long  ?  They  harried  and  worried  the  Planta- 
genets,  Tudors,  and  Stuarts  ;  do  you  expect  them  to 
keep  friends  long  with  the  Hanover  people  ?  They 
won't  do  it.  And  just  as  soon  as  there  is  trouble,  it  is 

always 

"  '  Northumberland  hasty  and  hot 
That  prods  the  Scot.' 

Harry  is  soldier  enough  to  need  the  stir  of  arms  and 
the  hope  of  a  fight.  So  are  the  men  of  his  county. 
He  will  in  this  way  get  them  round  him.  He  will 
become  their  leader,  and  they,  in  return,  will  give  him 
honour,  and  make  him  great." 

"  And  pray,  what  has  Claire  to  do  in  such  a  life  as 
this  ?  Are  there  any  meetinghouses,  any  of  the 
things  to  which  she  is  accustomed,  near  Cresswell,  to 
which  she  can  turn  for  pleasure  and  comfort  ? " 


BERNICIA'S   INTERFERENCE.  219 

"  Claire  will  have  Harry  and  her  home,  and  Harry's 
church  and  Harry's  friends.  She  will  be  very  happy ; 
and  she  is  precisely  what  Harry  needs,  for  she  adores 
Harry  to  such  a  pitch  that  she  will  be  interested  in  all 
he  wishes  and  in  all  he  does — in  his  hunting  and  fish 
ing  and  building,  his  farming,  and  his  fighting.  Also, 
she  will  not  be  too  fine  for  the  county  ladies.  I 
assure  you,  they  will  be  perfectly  happy,  for  Harry 
is  at  heart  a  county  squire,  far  more  than  a  court 
lounger." 

"  Harry  ought  to  marry  a  lady  of  equal  birth." 

"  He  might  marry  Miss  Damer.  She  loves  him 
entirely,  and  she  also  has  lots  of  money  ;  but  she 
would  keep  Harry  dangling  about  St.  James's,  for  she 
is  nothing  at  all  but  a  pretty  bauble — something  for 
a  man  to  hang  at  his  watch-chain.  All  their  money 
would  go  in  gambling  and  dressing,  and  in  giving 
great  balls  and  dinners.  Harry  is  already  weary  of 
that  kind  of  life." 

"  There  is  much  sense  in  what  you  say,  Bernicia  ; 
but  we  must  not  lose  honour  in  interest.  Claire's 
money  was  made  by  her  mother's  father  and  grand 
father,  and  they  desired  Claire  to  marry  into  the  Hut- 
ton  family.  Your  Uncle  William  solemnly  promised 
to  see  their  wish  carried  out.  And  he  will  do  it,  you 
may  depend  on  that." 

"  Not  if  Love  and  I  can  help  it.  The  Cresswells 
need  Claire's  money  ;  the  Huttons  do  not.  Claire 
dislikes  young  Oliver  Augustus,  and  she  loves  Harry. 
I  am  for  making  Harry  and  Claire  happy." 

"  But  how  was  your  behaviour  to-night  to  the  pur 
pose  ?  " 

"Oh,  grandmother,  it  is  the  plainest   thing  in  the 


220  BERNICIA. 

world !  If  Oliver  Augustus  Hutton  should  get  it  into 
his  head  and  heart  that  he  would  rather  not  marry 
Claire, — that  he  would  rather  marry  someone  else, — 
what  is  uncle  going  to  do  with  both  parties  against 
him  ?  Do  you  not  comprehend — you,  that  can  see 
afar  off  as  well  as  anyone  ?  I  am  sure  you  do.  So, 
now,  I  am  going  to  talk  to  Uncle  William." 

"  Not  now,  miss.  Your  uncle  is  in  his  private 
room,  and " 

"  Now,  of  all  times  !  I  am  in  beauty  and  spirits 
to-night.  I  shall  catch  at  advantages,  and  win  them. 
Grammercy  !  I  feel  myself  to  be  almost  an  angel, 
pitying  the  unhappy,  and  running  all  sorts  of  dangers 
for  their  welfare,"  and  she  walked  up  to  the  large 
mirror  between  the  windows  and  smiled  to  her  own 
beauty  and  good-nature. 

"  That  will  do,  child,"  said  madame.  "To-night,  I 
will  think  ;  to-morrow,  there  may  be  more  to  say." 

Madame  had  no  idea  that  Bernicia  would  venture 
to  seek  an  interview  with  her  uncle.  She  herself 
respected  the  ever-closed  door  of  his  private  room, 
where  it  was  supposed  all  his  business  plans  were  laid 
and  his  business  perplexities  solved.  Bernicia  had  no 
such  reluctances,  and  "  business  "  did  not  inspire  her 
with  any  respect.  She  knocked  at  the  inviolable 
door,  and,  receiving  no  answer,  knocked  again.  Then 
William  Bouverie  said  sharply,  "  Come  in  !  "  and  she 
entered.  He  was  sitting  quite  at  his  ease  before  a 
glowing  fire,  smoking  his  pipe,  and  there  was  not  the 
slightest  evidence  of  "  business  "  in  the  comfortable 
apartment. 

"  Well,  Bernicia,"  he  said,  rising  to  his  feet,  but 
giving  her  no  sign  of  welcome,  "  what  do  you  want  ? " 


BERNICIA'S  INTERFERENCE.  221 

She  closed  the  door,  and,  advancing  to  the  hearth, 
stood  in  its  glow  looking  at  him.  Then  he  said  more 
gently  :  "  You  must  have  a  good  excuse,  Bernicia,  for 
interfering  with  my  privacy." 

"  I  have,  Uncle  William.  I  want  to  tell  you  about 
Claire  :  I  do  not  think  either  grandmother  or  you 
realise  that  she  is  very  sick,  and  like  to  be  worse 
unless  a  change  is  made." 

"  You  are  talking  foolishly.  There  is  nothing  seri 
ously  the  matter  with  Claire.  If  there  was,  I  should 
not  need  you  to  tell  me  of  it." 

"  You  see  her  every  day,  and  you  do  not  notice  the 
change.  I  was  shocked  by  it.  And,  whether  you  like 
it  or  like  it  not,  uncle,  I  must  tell  you — the  blame  is 
yours.  Now,  you  cannot  say  that  <  you  did  not  know,' 
and  get  angry  with  people  for  not  telling  you." 

"  How  am  I  to  blame  ?  You  do  not  know  what  you 
are  talking  about." 

"  I  think  you  treat  Claire  abominably,  and  she  is 
breaking  her  heart  about  it.  You  have  known  her  all 
her  life  long,  yet  you  say  to  her,  '  Do  not  dare  to  see, 
do  not  dare  to  speak  to,  Harry  Cresswell.'  You  might 
just  as  well  tell  her,  *  I  do  not  trust  you  for  a  moment, 
for  you  are  certain  to  lie  and  deceive  me.'  How 
would  you  like  to  be  treated  so  ?  And  the  promise 
you  extorted  from  her  is  an  insult.  She  thought  you 
loved  and  trusted  her,  and  she  is  shocked  to  find  you 
neither  love  nor  trust  her." 

"Bernicia,  will  you  remember  to  whom  you  are 
talking  ?  " 

"  I  remember  that  I  am  talking  to  William  Bouverie 
— a  man  said  to  be  fair  and  just,  even  to  his  debtors 
and  his  enemies.  Poor  Claire  !  What  has  she  done 


222  BERNICIA. 

but  love  you  so  well  that  your  anger  is  breaking  her 
heart  ?  Why  cannot  you  trust  to  her  love  and  honour  ? 
If  it  were  I  then  I  should  not  wonder,  because  I  am 
wilful  and  disobedient ;  and  as  for  breaking  my  heart, 
I  would  not  do  such  a  thing  for  your  love  nor  for  the 
love  of  any  other  man." 

"  Bernicia,  I  have  good  reason  for  doubting  Claire. 
Harry  was  making  love  to  her  when  I  stepped  between 
them  and  sent  Claire  to  her  room." 

"  Is  that  all  ?  How  could  Harry  help  making  love 
to  a  beautiful  girl  in  the  same  house  with  him  ?  A 
poor  spirited  man  he  would  be  had  he  not  made  love 
to  her." 

"But  Claire  looked  as  if  she  liked  and  approved 
his  folly." 

"  Pray,  sir,  what  woman  does  not  like  and  approve 
such  folly  ?  That  poor  creature,  Mr.  Hutton,  made 
love  to  me  an  hour  ago,  and  I  looked  as  if  I  liked  and 
approved  him." 

"  Then  you  ought  not  to  have  done  so.  And  if  Mr. 
Hutton  made  love  to  you  he  is,  I  think,  something  of 
a  scoundrel.  You  are  mistaken." 

"  He  was  awkward  enough  in  his  attempts  ;  but  he 
meant  them  for  love-making,  there  is  no  doubt  of  that." 

"  He  is,  as  you  know,  engaged  to  marry  Claire." 

"  I  know  nothing  certain  of  that  subject." 

"  Claire  was  promised  to  him  by  her  parents.  I 
made  the  promise  for  her,  and  I  regard  it  as  sacred." 

"  Promised  !  The  promise  is  a  dead  promise.  It 
is  twenty  years  old.  Everything  is  changed  since  it 
was  made.  It  is  high  time  it  was  forgotten." 

"  Her  parents  doubtless  remember  it,  and  Claire 
must  keep  their  wish  and  my  word." 


BERNICIA'S  INTERFERENCE.  223 

"  I  should  not  think  they  remember  anything  about 
it.  If  heaven  is  the  gloriously  happy  place  Mr.  White- 
field  says  it  is,  they  must  have  long  ago  forgotten  this 
dreary  world.  Beside,  as  you  know,  sir,  there  is  no 
marrying  or  giving  in  marriage  in  heaven." 

"  The  thing  comes  to  this,  Bernicia.  Harry  is  in 
love  with  Claire's  money." 

"  You  are  far  wrong,  uncle.  Harry  is  in  love  with 
Claire.  As  far  as  Harry  is  concerned,  you  may  take 
her  money  and  make  a  rattle  of  it.  You  have  no 
right  to  judge  Harry  by  your  own  fears  and  doubts, 
and  you  have  no  right  to  make  Claire  ill  and  unhappy 
for  a  dead  promise.  Do  you  think  more  of  your  own 
word  than  of  Claire's  life  ?  You  are  most  supremely 
selfish  if  you  do." 

He  remained  silent  after  this  accusation,  and 
Bernicia  stood  silent  before  him.  She  had  one  foot 
on  the  fender,  her  pretty  robe  was  gathered  over  her 
left  arm,  and  her  eloquent  eyes  steadily  regarded  her 
uncle.  His  face  was  cast  downward ;  he  fingered 
slowly  his  great  bunch  of  gold  seals,  and  he  appeared 
to  have  forgotten  Bernicia's  presence.  Thus  they 
remained  for  about  five  minutes.  Bernicia  thought  it 
was  an  hour.  Then  William  Bouverie  stood  up  and 
said  with  some  impatience  : 

"  Tell  Claire  I  wish  to  speak  to  her.  And  never 
come  to  this  room  again,  Bernicia.  I  consider  your 
intrusion  to-night  a  great  impertinence,  miss." 

"  No,  uncle,  I  am  not  impertinent.  I  am  only 
brave,  and  bravery  belongs  to  the  family.  And  yet 
in  this  matter  I  am  not  very  brave,  because  I  knew 
I  need  not  fear  to  come  to  you  with  a  right  thing 
or  a  kind  thing.  And  that  is  all  there  is  about  it,  sir." 


224  BERNICIA. 

In  half  an  hour,  while  Claire  and  Bernicia  were 
still  talking  over  this  interview,  William  Bouverie 
came  to  them.  He  sat  down  beside  Claire  and  drew 
her  within  his  arm. 

"  My  dear  daughter,"  he  said,  "  Bernicia  tells  me 
I  have  been  unkind  to  you.  Is  it  so  ? " 

"  You  have  doubted  me,  sir,  and  scarcely  spoken  to 
me,  and  I  have  been  very  lonely  and  miserable." 

"  Then  I  will  now  fully  trust  you.  You  may  see 
Sir  Harry  Cresswell  whenever  you  wish.  You  may 
walk  with  him  and  talk  with  him  as  you  desire. 
I  have  always  objected  to  your  visiting  at  Lady  Pom- 
fret's  house.  You  may  now  accept  any  invitation 
Bernicia  gives  you.  If  I  extorted  any  promise  from 
you  regarding  Sir  Harry  Cresswell  I  give  it  back. 
I  trust  entirely  to  your  honour.  For  the  next  six 
months  you  have  absolute  freedom  to  go  where  you 
wish  and  to  do  as  you  wish.  All  I  ask  is  that  you 
give  Augustus  Hutton  such  opportunities  to  win  your 
favour  as  are  just  and  reasonable.  At  the  end  of  six 
months  I  am  sure  you  will  be  ready  to  fulfil  the  prom 
ise  I  made  to  your  dying  father  and  mother  for  you. 
Have  I  not  tried  to  take  their  place,  Claire  ?  Have  I 
failed  to  be  ever  kind  and  just  and  generous  to  you  ?  " 

"  You  have  been  the  best  of  fathers.  I  love  you 
with  all  my  heart." 

"  Then,  my  dear,  remember  that  obedience  is  better 
than  sacrifice."  With  these  words  he  kissed  her,  and, 
turning  to  Bernicia,  asked  :  "  Are  you  ready  now  for 
family  worship  ?  I  am  going  to  the  parlour." 

"  I  beg  you  to  excuse  me,  uncle,"  she  answered. 
"  I  will  remain  with  Claire,  who,  as  you  may  see,  needs 
what  strength  and  comfort  I  can  give  her." 


BERNICIA'S  INTERFERENCE.  225 

So  he  went,  but  it  was  with  an  air  of  great  de 
pression.  And  madame  knew  that  he  was  in  trouble, 
because  he  did  not  read  the  portion  of  the  Scriptures 
that  was  in  order,  but  turned  for  comfort  to  the  Book 
of  Psalms — a  thing  which  he  always  did  when  in  any 
way  afflicted  or  distressed  in  mind,  body,  or  estate. 
After  the  dismissal  of  the  servants  he  remained  a 
long  time  with  madame,  but  she  evidently  gave  him 
little  sympathy,  for  he  left  her  presence  with  a  still 
deeper  air  of  depression  and  disappointment.  It  was 
not,  however,  unmixed.  There  was  a  certain  stub 
bornness  in  his  face  and  erect  figure  which  indicated 
that  he  had  not  abandoned  his  position,  but  rather 
changed  his  base,  in  order  more  surely  to  protect  it. 

But  whatever  plans  or  projects  he  carried  in  his 
own  mind,  Claire  was  unsuspicious  of  them.  He  left 
only  hope  and  peace  in  her  heart,  and  very  soon  after 
his  departure  the  girls,  being  thoroughly  wearied  with 
their  day  of  emotion,  went  to  sleep  in  each  other's 
arms. 

In  the  morning  there  was  a  general  disposition  to 
avoid  conversation.  Madame  took  her  breakfast 
alone,  Claire  and  Bernicia  took  theirs  together  in 
Claire's  sitting  room,  and  William  Bouverie  was  glad 
to  let  the  discussion  grow  cold  before  there  was 
any  opportunity  to  reopen  the  subject.  Madame 
had  much  the  same  feeling.  When  Bernicia's  coach 
was  at  the  door  she  went  to  her  grandmother,  but 
found  her  in  a  mood  that  repelled  all  questioning. 
Bernicia  thought  her  coldness  and  indifference  more 
than  necessary,  even  if  they  were  assumed  in  order  to 
prevent  premature  discussion.  She  made  her  adieux 
with  some  offence  : 


226  BERNICIA. 

"  I  am  as  cross  as  the  rest,  this  morning,  grand 
mother,"  she  said  ;  "  we  are  not  a  happy  and 
amiable  family.  I  fear,  indeed,  we  are  a  self-willed, 
selfish  lot." 

"  Speak  for  yourself,  miss,"  answered  madame 
sharply,  and  Bernicia  left  the  room  to  the  irritable 
note.  It  was  no  wonder  that  the  old  porter's  deliber 
ation  made  her  impatient.  She  put  him  and  his  atten 
tions  aside  with  an  air  of  pique  and  displeasure,  and 
entered  her  coach  with  a  feeling  that  she  had  been 
badly  used,  and  her  efforts  for  everyone's  good  not 
properly  appreciated.  Consequently,  she  was  in  a 
bad  temper,  and  this  was  unfortunate  for  George,  who 
was  just  entering  the  square  in  a  hackney  coach.  He 
was  returning  from  Gloucester,  weary  with  his  long 
ride,  and  not  at  that  moment  thinking  of  Bernicia. 

But  she  was  thinking  of  him  ;  she  was  putting  his 
absence  to  the  list  of  her  other  annoyances,  and  un 
justly  laying  the  sum  total  of  them  on  a  lover  who 
had  not  divined  the  probability  of  her  visit  and  been 
there  to  meet  her. 

"  He  is  never  there  when  I  want  to  see  him,  and  I 
do  not  care  if  I  never  see  him  again,"  she  muttered. 
**  He  knew  when  Wednesday  came,  and  he  ought  to 
have  been  watching  for  me  every  Wednesday  until  he 
did  see  me."  Then  hearing  the  approach  of  a  vehicle, 
she  lifted  her  eyes  and  saw  George  sitting  straight  and 
severe-looking  in  it.  His  eyes  were  fixed  upon  his 
home  ;  but  the  next  moment  he  recognised  Bernicia's 
coach.  She  saw  him  speak  to  his  driver  and  she 
understood  he  was  going  to  alight  and  accost  her. 

Then  the  contradictory  nature  of  her  liking  asserted 
itself,  and  she  touched  the  little  bell  which  directed 


BERNICIA'S  INTERFERENCE.  227 

her  coachman  to  drive  faster,  so  that  before  George 
could  step  to  the  ground  she  had  passed  him.  On 
her  face  there  was  a  look  of  calm  indifference,  and 
her  eyes  looked  over  and  beyond  the  hack  and  its 
occupant.  It  was  impossible  for  George  to  decide 
whether  she  had  recognised  him  or  not,  but  the  uncer 
tainty  made  him  wretched  enough. 

Bernicia  also  was  unhappy.  Her  ill-nature  reacted 
on  herself  ;  she  was  sorry  she  had  given  way  to  the 
petty  impulse.  She  believed  that  she  had  wounded 
George,  and  despite  her  pretended  indifference  she 
suffered  with  him.  "  I  am  in  love  with  the  fear  of 
being  in  love,"  she  thought.  "  It  is  a  most  trouble 
some  condition.  I  wish  that  I  had  stayed  longer  with 
Claire.  He  ought  to  have  returned  yesterday  ;  it  is 
his  own  fault.  I  will  not  think  of  him  at  all."  In 
such  distraction  and  desire  she  reached  home  and 
found  her  sister  dressed  for  the  park,  but  looking 
gloomily  out  of  the  window  at  the  lowering  sky. 

"  Is  it  going  to  rain,  Bernicia  ? "  she  asked  im 
patiently.  "  I  have  dressed  myself  in  my  new  cloak 
and  pink  ridinghood,  and  I  hope  I  may  wear  them 
safely." 

"  Indeed,  Fanny,  I  think  the  weather  is  going  to 
show  us  what  it  can  do  in  the  way  of  temper.  It  is 
blowing  north,  and  east,  and  cold,  and  vapours,  and 
dust." 

"  Then  I  will  not  ride.  There  is  not  a  month  in  the 
year  whose  honour  you  can  trust.  Never  country  had 
such  a  wild,  capricious  climate.  I  will  go  to  Italy.  I 
will  go  to  the  tropics." 

"You  will  live  and  die  in  London,  Fan." 

"What  have  you  to  tell  of  the  Bloomsbury  people  ?" 


228  BERNICIA. 

"  Nothing  to  make  a  talk  over.  They  live  in  a 
circle,  and  go  round  and  round.  I  saw  the  young 
gentleman  who  proposes  to  marry  Claire  Abney  and 
her  gold.  Harry  has  nothing  to  fear  from  him — he  is 
too  tall,  too  fair,  too  everything  that  is  not  desirable." 

"  How  old  is  he?" 

"  About  twenty-five  years  of  age,  and  about  ten  of 
understanding." 

"  So  much  for  him,  then  !  "  and  she  took  a  pinch  of 
snuff  from  a  jewelled  box  open  on  the  table  and  scat 
tered  the  powder  on  the  floor;  "so  much  for  him. 
La,  Bernicia  !  there  is  nothing  in  nothing,  so  far  as  I 
can  see." 

"  Well,  I  did  something  toward  Harry's  success," 
and  Bernicia  related  the  conversation  with  her  uncle 
and  its  results.  But  she  was  just  then  out  of  sympathy 
with  her  subject,  and  she  threw  no  interest  into  her 
recital.  So  Fanny  paid  little  attention  to  her  report, 
though  she  laughed  a  little  at  Bernicia's  meddling. 

"  It  is  a  wonder  that  Uncle  William  did  not  turn 
Turk,"  she  answered.  "  Tush !  Let  their  quarrels 
come  and  go  as  they  please  for  a  while.  I  am  tired  of 
them.  To-night  we  are  to  dine  with  the  Capels,  and 
we  shall  meet  fools  and  folly  enough  to  put  yesterday's 
fools  and  folly  out  of  our  talk  and  memory." 


CHAPTER    XL 

THE    GREATEST    PLEASURE    OF    LIFE    IS    LOVE. 

AFTER  this  arrangement  Bernicia  and  Claire  were 
much  together,  and  the  companionship  was  conducive 
alike  to  their  pleasure  and  the  enlargement  of  their 
ideas  regarding  life.  They  got  wider  and  more 
reasonable  views  of  both  sides  of  social  existence. 
Each  had  been  accustomed  to  regard  the  other's  sur 
roundings  with  contempt  or  disapproval  ;  and  Claire 
was  brightened  by  the  variety  and  vivacity  of  Bernicia's 
life,  while  Bernicia  was  made  more  thoughtful  and 
more  calm  by  a  frequent  contact  with  ideas  of  vital 
and  unchanging  interest. 

The  innate  piety  of  Claire's  nature  kept  her  a 
mere  looker-on,  but  she  was  a  pleased  and  a  tolerant 
one,  and  nobody  was  offended  by  her  piety,  for  it  was 
as  much  a  part  of  Claire  as  colour  is  a  part  of  the  rose 
or  perfume  of  the  violet.  Lord  Pomfret  liked  "  the 
little  saint,"  he  said  frankly  ;  "  she  is  an  angelical 
creature."  Lady  Pomfret  did  not  deny  this  opinion, 
but  thought  it  a  fault  in  a  woman  who  owned  so  much 
of  the  world  not  to  go  into  the  world  and  be  more 
like  the  world.  But  Bernicia  was  sure  it  would  be  as 
unnatural  to  see  Claire  wandering  about  the  gay 
places  of  society  as  to  see  Lent  lilies  gadding  over  the 
walls  and  fences  like  woodbines.  All  alike,  however, 
were  aware  of  the  value  of  Claire's  influence  over 

229 


230  BERNICIA. 

Harry,  and  of  the  immense  advantage  her  wealth 
would  be  to  the  Cresswell  estate. 

She  kept  her  contract  with  her  guardian  to  its  last 
tittle  ;  she  was  even  scrupulously  careful  to  give 
Augustus  Hutton  the  "  fair  and  reasonable  oppor 
tunities  "  stipulated  for.  In  order  to  do  this  it  was 
necessary  he  should  visit  her  at  the  Pomfret  mansion, 
and  the  young  man  received  her  ladyship's  invitation 
to  do  so.  He  soon  made  good,  on  his  own  account, 
the  favour  accorded  at  first  for  Claire's  sake  ;  for  it  was 
impossible  to  resist  his  amiable  desire  to  please.  He 
was  every  beautiful  woman's  servant — ready  at  all 
hours,  and  at  all  expenditure  or  trouble,  to  do  her 
pleasure. 

The  gay,  splendid,  witty  women  of  fashion  and 
rank,  whom  he  now  met  for  the  first  time,  were  a  new 
kind  of  womanhood  to  him.  He  was  in  love  with 
everyone  he  met.  He  learned  how  to  dance,  that  he 
might  please  Bernicia  ;  Miss  Darner  easily  persuaded 
him  to  take  a  hand  at  cards  with  her.  The  life  he  saw 
in  Piccadilly  seemed,  of  all  lives,  the  most  desir 
able  ;  and,  as  he  dressed  with  great  richness  and  in 
the  height  of  the  mode,  and  was  ever  ready  to  be 
obliging,  the  women  of  Lady  Pomfret's  set  soon  made 
a  pet  and  a  convenience  of  him.  They  sent  him  on 
their  messages  and  told  him  their  love  secrets,  and  in 
many  ways  treated  him  more  like  a  womanly  friend 
and  confidant  than  a  lover  or  a  visitor. 

Augustus  was  quite  pleased  with  the  position  as 
signed  him.  He  believed  himself  to  be  an  object 
of  envy  to  other  men,  and  was  scarcely  jealous  of 
Harry,  though  Harry  looked  upon  his  pretensions 
with  unconcealed  contempt.  Between  men  so  equally 


THE    GREATEST    PLEASURE   OF    LIFE    IS    LOVE.      23! 

disdainful  of  each  other  even  Claire  had  no  difficulty 
in  keeping  peace  ;  or,  if  any  prospect  of  trouble  ap 
peared,  Bernicia  was  sufficient  for  the  occasion. 

Frequently  Claire  returned  to  Bloomsbury  for  a 
few  days,  but  the  change  appeared  to  give  no  one 
pleasure.  Harry  would  only  visit  her  during  the 
middle  of  the  day,  when  his  uncle  was  in  the  city, 
and  Mr.  Hutton  did  not  value  his  exclusive  privileges 
in  the  evenings.  He  was  sighing  all  the  time  for  the 
pleasures  and  the  company  at  Lady  Pomfret's.  Mme. 
Bouverie  was  not  anxious  for  her  society,  for  when 
she  was  not  present  Harry's  visits  were  entirely  her 
own.  She  had  little  confidences  with  him,  and  there 
were  favours  between  them  no  one  knew  of.  In  fact, 
madame  was  jealous  of  Harry's  love  and  attention, 
and,  though  she  tolerated  Claire  as  a  necessity  for  his 
welfare,  she  was  not  happy  in  Claire's  happiness. 
And  if  George  missed  his  sister,  he  was  glad  to  think 
of  her  as  constantly  in  Bernicia's  society,  for  she 
would  surely  find  many  opportunities  to  plead  his 
cause.  So,  then,  there  were  few  motives  drawing  her 
to  "Bloomsbury  and  many  pleasant  ones  drawing  her 
to  Piccadilly. 

Harry  was  in  Piccadilly  nearly  all  day  long,  and  she 
had  also  Bernicia's  confidence  and  sympathy.  There, 
someone  was  always  near  to  love  her,  and  to  feel  an 
interest  in  what  she  thought,  or  in  what  she  was 
doing  or  going  to  do.  And  to  pass  from  this  at 
mosphere  of  light  and  love  and  movement  to  the 
stillness  and  method  and  repression  of  the  life  in 
Bloomsbury  was  not  a  pleasing  change.  As  the 
months  went  on,  it  was  made  less  and  less  frequently, 
and  at  every  visit  she  found  the  difference  more  pro- 


232  BERNICIA. 

nounced.  Madame  said  "  it  was  in  herself,"  which 
was  likely.  She  pointed  out  the  slight  accommoda 
tions  to  court  fashion  made  in  her  dress,  speech,  and 
manners,  and  declared  that  "  in  another  year  Claire 
would  be  outwardly  a  woman  of  the  world."  And 
Claire,  who  knew  that  her  heart  was  right  with 
Heaven,  was  grieved  to  find  herself  judged  by  the 
colour  of  her  ribbons,  or  the  make  of  her  stomacher, 
or  the  trimming  of  her  bonnet. 

If  Claire  went  little  to  Bloomsbury,  Bernicia  went 
less.  She  would  not  remain  all  night  there,  because 
she  had  no  intention  of  giving  George  any  advantage 
from  those  softer  moments  which  assail  every  woman. 
She  would  not  appear  to  seek  a  reconciliation  with 
him,  and  George's  advances  in  this  direction  had 
been  singularly  unfortunate.  Twice,  when  he  called 
at  Lady  Pomfret's,  the  ladies  were  really  out,  and  the 
third  time  Bernicia  and  Fanny  were  in  the  midst  of  a 
sisterly  quarrel,  and  not  disposed  to  have  it  interfered 
with.  This  particular  time  he  had  seen  the  coachman 
lounging  in  the  yard,  and  so  was  sure  the  ladies  were 
at  home  ;  consequently  he  believed  that  he  had  been 
on  all  three  occasions  refused  admittance.  And  he 
was  far  too  proud  to  subject  himself  to  another  refusal. 

But  Lord  Rashleigh,  who  saw  her  frequently,  was 
no  more  fortunate,  though  he  took  pains  to  arrange 
their  meeting  at  such  times  as  he  thought  would  be 
favourable.  Thus  Bernicia  and  Claire  were  usually  at 
Lady  Huntington's  Sunday  night  service,  and  Lord 
Rashleigh  was  never  absent.  But  the  mood  induced 
by  the  preacher's  eloquent  appeals  was  not  one  favour 
able  to  him.  For  in  these  weeks  Bernicia  was  passing 
through  an  experience  that  no  man  or  woman  could 


THE    GREATEST    PLEASURE    OF    LIFE    IS    LOVE.       233 

have  depended  upon.  She  was  struggling  against 
selfishness  and  folly  toward  the  heights  of  that  pure 
life  she  really  longed  for — stumbling,  falling,  mistak 
ing  her  way,  longing  for  light,  even  while  plunging 
willingingly  into  deeper  darkness.  Claire,  who  was 
the  only  witness  of  this  interior  life,  pitied  the  girl 
greatly  ;  she  was  familiar  with  her  heavenly  desires  and 
her  constant  failures  ;  and  she  perceived  the  misery 
of  an  existence  which  was  a  sustained  spiritual  defeat. 
But  Claire  had  been  born  with  good  instincts, — there 
was  even  a  touch  of  Pharisaism  in  her  spotless  piety, — 
and  it  was  therefore  impossible  for  even  Claire  to 
quite  understand  the  longings  and  the  despairs  which 
made  her  friend's  soul  their  battleground. 

After  one  of  Mr.  Whitefield's  electric  "calls" 
Bernicia  was  usually  in  a  condition  of  determined 
self-denial,  resolved  to  give  up  all  that  could  lead  her 
heart  astray.  And  she  was  afraid  of  Lord  Rashleigh 
in  two  respects — he  would  either  put  her  in  a  passion, 
or  he  would  lead  her  thoughts  far  from  the  higher 
subjects  on  which  she  was  determined  to  settle  them. 
Had  Lord  Rashleigh  known  her  better,  he  would 
have  avoided  making  himself  the  special  temptation 
of  her  best  moments.  And  yet — though  such  calcula 
tion  was  far  beyond  him — his  constant  disappoint 
ments  were  working  in  Bernicia's  heart  a  pity,  not  far 
from  that  akin  to  love.  She  wondered  at  his  per 
sistence,  not  understanding  that  to  a  man  of  Lord 
Rashleigh's  temper,  the  weekly  disappointment  was 
a  weekly  spur  and  incentive  ;  and  that  he  left  Lady 
Huntington's  every  Sunday  night  more  and  more 
determined  to  win  the  girl  who  so  continuously  foiled 
his  intentions  and  frustrated  his  hopes. 


234  BERNICIA. 

From  these  general  events  it  is  easy  to  imagine  the 
usual  trend  of  events  in  the  lives  of  the  two  girls 
during  some  weeks  ;  Claire's  especially  being  of  that 
calm,  satisfied  character  which  accompanies  love 
affairs  thoroughly  understood  and  full  of  happiness 
and  hope.  Bernicia,  indeed,  was  often  irritated  by 
the  complacencies  of  Harry's  and  Claire's  affection. 
"Why  do  you  not  quarrel  a  little  with  him?"  she 
asked.  "  A  lover  that  is  always  satisfied  and  always 
smiling  is  too  comfortable  to  be  endurable.  Break 
off  your  engagement,  if  only  that  you  may  have  the 
pleasure  of  renewing  it  again.  You  weary  me  with 
your  contentments."  But  Claire,  whose  ideal  life  was 
in  green  pastures  and  by  still  waters,  could  not  bear 
to  even  think  of  a  frown  on  Harry's  face,  or  of  a 
shadow  on  their  love. 

On  the  Sunday  night  before  Christmas  there  was 
a  decided  move  in  Bernicia's  love  affairs.  It  was  a 
stormy  night,  with  a  high  wind  and  heavy  rain,  and  quite 
unfit  for  any  expedition  abroad.  After  dinner,  there 
fore,  Lady  Pomfret  said,  as  she  owed  herself  about 
sixty  hours  of  sleep,  she  would  lie  down  on  the  sofa  and 
pay  a  little  on  account,  "  and  you  girls  can  take  care 
of  Lord  Pomfret,"  she  added.  "  He  will  not  be  very 
ill-natured  if  you  let  him  finish  his  pipe  in  peace." 

So  for  an  hour  Lord  Pomfret  sat  on  the  hearth 
smoking  and  thinking,  and  Lady  Pomfret  lay  with 
closed  eyes  among  her  cushions  ;  and  Bernicia  made 
pictures  in  the  fire,  and  Claire  read  at  a  little  table, 
where  there  was  a  branch  of  shaded  candles.  Lord 
Pomfret  made  the  first  movement.  He  put  his  pipe 
down,  and  looked  at  Bernicia.  "  Suppose  you  read 
a  little  to  me  now,"  he  said  ;  and  she  answered,  "  I 


THE    GREATEST    PLEASURE    OF    LIFE    IS   LOVE.      235 

am  most  willing.  Shall  I  get  the  Gentleman  s  Maga 
zine^  or  the  'History  of  Christina  of  Sweden,'  or 
the  '  Account  of  Admiral  Anson's  Last  Voyage  '  ?  " 

"  I  will  listen  to  no  more  of  Admiral  Anson's  ex 
travagant  stories.  Do  you  believe  them  ?  To-night 
I  was  thinking  of  Mr.  Whitefield,  and  of  what  he  said 
and  what  he  read.  If  you  have  a  Bible  at  hand, 
I  will  listen  to  it  for  half  an  hour." 

Without  much  heart  she  got  the  desired  book, 
and  opening  it  at  random,  lighted  on  the  story  of 
King  David  and  his  son  Absalom.  Lord  Pomfret 
listened  with  great  interest  and  attention  until  the 
young  man  has  paid  the  penalty  of  his  treason  and 
filial  disloyalty.  Then  he  said  excitedly  :  "  By  all 
that's  true  !  it  is  the  history  of  George  II.  and  his 
son  Frederick,  Prince  of  Wales  !  But  there  would 
be  no  mourning  for  Frederick  if  he  died  ;  his  father 
would  only  say  'Thank  God  he  is  gone!1  Now, 
Claire,  you  shall  read  me  a  portion." 

Then  Claire  turned  the  pages  of  her  New  Testa 
ment,  and  read  the  verses  describing  the  temptation 
of  Christ  after  his  forty  days  fasting  in  the  wilderness. 
This  incident  interested  Lord  Pomfret  still  more. 

"  The  devil  took  Christ  to  the  top  of  a  high  moun 
tain,  and  showed  him  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world 
in  a  moment  of  time  ?  "  he  asked. 

Claire  read  the  verse  again. 

"  And  he  promised  to  give  the  power  and  glory  of 
them  to  Christ  if  he  would  worship  him  ?" 

"  He  did,  sir." 

"  And  he  said  he  could  give  them,  because  they 
were  his  to  give." 

"  That  is  what  he  said,  sir." 


236  BERNICIA. 

"  And  you  will  observe  that  Christ  did  not  deny 
this  claim  of  the  devil.  So,  then,  he  really  acknowl 
edged  the  devil's  authority  in  this  world,  and  his  right 
to  give  it  to  whom  he  chose.  That  makes  some 
things  very  clear,  Miss  Abney,  and  accounts  for  the 
prosperity  of  so  many  wicked  men  and  women.  It  is 
the  gift  of  the  devil." 

"  If  you  please,  not  so,  brother,"  said  Bernicia. 
"  What  a  libel  on  all  our  class  !  Are  the  rich  and  the 
great,  then,  but  pensioners  of  the  devil  ?  " 

"  That  is  what  it  appears.  This  Bible  is  a  wonder 
ful  book.  I  shall  never  be  weary  of  it." 

"  Your  deduction  in  this  case  is  all  wrong,  sir," 
said  Claire.  She  was  smiling  and  turning  the  leaves 
of  her  Bible  as  she  spoke,  and,  in  a  moment,  she 
brought  it  to  Lord  Pomfret  and  said  :  "  There  is  the 
answer  :  *  The  earth  is  the  Lord's  and  the  fulness 
thereof  ;  the  world  and  they  that  dwell  therein ' 
(Psalm  xxiv.  i),  and  as  for  the  devil's  word,  hear 
what  St.  John  says  it  is  worth,"  and  she  turned  the 
pages  again  and  read  :  <<:  *  He  is  a  liar  and  the  father 
of  it '  "  (John  viii.  44). 

In  the  midst  of  this  discussion — for  Lord  Pomfret 
pretended  to  hold  firmly  to  his  first  impression — there 
was  the  sound  of  wheels  in  the  court,  and  Claire  had 
difficulty  in  answering  her  opponent.  She  was  listen 
ing  for  Harry's  footsteps,  and  yet  she  said,  "  I  do  not 
think  it  is  Harry,  for  to-night  he  is  nursing  Captain 
Ball,  who  was  stabbed  in  the  throat  by  a  highwayman 
a  week  ago." 

Bernicia  was  not  interested.  "  It  is  Harry,  of  course," 
she  said.  "  He  has  remembered  you  and  found  Cap 
tain  Ball  tiresome.  Love  is  stronger  than  friendship." 


THE   GREATEST    PLEASURE    OF    LIFE   IS   LOVE.      237 

But  it  was  not  Harry.  When  the  door  opened  it 
admitted  Lord  Rashleigh.  He  had  removed  his  cloak, 
but  he  showed  signs  of  the  storm,  and  very  gladly  put 
himself  within  the  heat  of  the  blazing  fire.  Lord 
Pomfret  took  up  again  the  subject  they  had  been  dis 
cussing,  and  Rashleigh  tried  to  feel  an  interest  in  it, 
but  failed.  He  was  watching  Bernicia,  who  had  taken 
Claire's  seat  at  the  table,  and  whose  eyes  were  on  the 
open  book,  though  she  was  not  reading  a  word.  She 
had  answered  his  salutation  with  a  courtesy,  and  then 
retired  from  the  conversation.  All  attempts  to  draw 
her  into  it  again  failed,  and  Lord  Rashleigh  per 
ceived  that  he  must  take  some  decided  step  if  he 
would  obtain  any  satisfactory  interview. 

"  I  am  going  to  Rashleigh  Court  to  keep  Christ 
mas,"  he  said.  "  Whether  I  shall  return  to  London 
or  not  is  uncertain.  I  may  go  at  once  to  Italy." 

He  looked  at  Bernicia  as  he  made  this  statement, 
but  she  heard  it  with  the  indifference  of  one  who  has 
neither  care  nor  interest  in  the  matter. 

"  I  am  very  sorry,"  answered  Lord  Pomfret. 
"  Whom  shall  I  play  with  when  you  are  gone  ? 
There  is  no  one  like  you  for  a  good  long  game  and  a 
heavy  stake." 

"  I  will  play  with  you  to-night,  if  you  wish." 

"  No,  you  will  not,"  said  Lady  Pomfret,  rising  from 
her  sofa  and  coming  forward  with  a  smile.  "  Let  me 
tell  you,  Lord  Rashleigh,  I  keep  Sunday  to  my 
mother's  memory,  and  she  could  not  endure  a  card. 
So  I  will  have  no  play,  if  you  please,  to-night.  We 
can  have  music,  if  it  suits  you.  Bernicia  can  sing,  and 
Miss  Abney  will  lead  us." 

"  I  cannot  sing  to-night,  sister.     It  is  impossible." 


238  BERNICIA. 

"  Very  well,  miss.  No  one  will  be  sorry.  Your  voice 
is  not  beyond  compare.  Claire  will  be  more  obliging." 

But  Lord  Rashleigh  took  on  himself  the  onus  of 
refusal.  He  said  he  thought  he  had  taken  cold  in  the 
storm,  for  he  found  himself  hoarse,  and  would  not 
trouble  the  ladies.  Then,  walking  to  the  side  of 
Bernicia,  he  asked  her,  in  the  hearing  of  all  present, 
"  if  she  would  give  him  ten  minutes'  conversation  in 
the  morning." 

There  was  an  uncomfortable  silence  in  the  room ; 
the  question  seemed  to  fill  it,  and  she  felt  the  eyes  of 
everyone  on  her  face.  Her  resolution  of  silence  ap 
peared  petty  and  even  cowardly.  She  looked  into 
her  lover's  face  with  a  steady  gaze,  and  answered  : 

"  I  can  see  you  to-morrow  morning  at  half-after 
eleven.  We  do  not  go  out  until  twelve,  do  we, 
Fanny  ?  " 

"  The  hour  is  indifferent  to  us,"  answered  Lady 
Pomfret,  and  she  began  to  urge  him  to  stay  all  night 
with  them.  But,  he  said,  the  temptation  to  cards  in 
Lord  Pomfret's  company  would  be  irresistible,  and  he 
could  not  face  it ;  also  that  he  had  promised  Sir 
Harry  Cresswell  to  call  at  Captain  Ball's  lodgings, 
and  pass  the  night  with  them.  With  this  explanation 
he  went  away,  and  Bernicia  rose  as  soon  as  he  disap 
peared,  and  vowed  the  night  was  stupid  and  she  was 
sleepy,  and  that  Lord  Rashleigh  had  spoiled  the  most 
interesting  conversation  she  had  ever  had. 

"  Let  me  tell  you  something,  my  pretty  sister,"  said 
Lord  Pomfret,  as  she  made  her  good-night  courtesy 
to  him.  "  You  are  going  to  have  a  call  from  Good 
Fortune  in  the  morning.  If  you  are  a  wise  girl  you 
will  not  flout  her  away." 


THE    GREATEST    PLEASURE    OF    LIFE    IS   LOVE.      239 

"  Yes,  miss,"  added  Lady  Pomfret,  "  and  before 
you  sleep  to-night,  do  not  call  her  names,  and  fancy 
you  are  talking  about  Lord  Rashleigh.  Try  and  re 
member  he  may  any  day  become  Marquis  of  Sand- 
ham,  and  that  Rashleigh  Court  is  one  of  the  finest 
houses  in  all  England." 

"  If  you  could  only  see  it,  Bernicia,  as  I  did  one 
bright  summer  day  ! "  said  Lord  Pomfret.  "  It  is  of 
great  size,  built  of  gray  stone,  and  nearly  covered 
with  ivy.  The  park  is  full  of  grand  old  oaks  and 
dappled  deer  ;  the  gardens  are  delightful,  and  on  the 
terrace  I  saw  about  a  score  of  peacocks  spreading 
out  their  gorgeous  feathers.  Inside  the  furnishing  is 
complete  in  every  way.  I  cannot  imagine  any  girl 
longing  for  a  fairer  home." 

"  I  am  not  longing  to  marry  a  home,  sir." 
"  Oh,  take  your  own  way,  sister  !  I  only  told  you 
of  the  home  to  help  the  man.  To-night  he  was  for 
lorn  and  despondent ;  and  I  should  think  Lord  Rash 
leigh  would  suit  a  proud  girl  like  you  down  to  the 
very  ground." 

"  He  does  not  suit  me." 

"  Well,  well  !  I  speak  for  your  good,  and  you  need 
not  fire  up  to  your  finger  ends.  Women  pass  my 
understanding." 

u  Dear  me,  John  !  No  one  expects  you  to  under 
stand  them,"  said  Lady  Pomfret,  turning  suddenly 
upon  her  lord.  "  Good-night,  Bernicia  !  Let  me  kiss 
you  into  a  reasonable  temper.  If  Lord  Rashleigh  only 
knew  how  to  time  his  love-making  it  might  be  catching, 
but  men  have  no  intelligence  in  such  matters.  I  am 
provoked  at  him.  It  is  his  own  fault." 

The  next  day  had  been  appointed  for  the  decora- 


240  BERNICIA. 

tion  of  the  house  for  Christmas,  and  when  Lord 
Rashleigh  called,  everyone  was  busy  in  that  direc 
tion.  Lady  Pomfret  and  Claire  sat  in  an  inner  parlour, 
surrounded  by  holly,  mistletoe,  and  rowan  berries, 
which  they  were  tying  into  wreaths  and  ornaments  ; 
and  in  the  large  outer  room  Bernicia  and  Jackanapes 
were  winding  garlands  round  the  pictures,  and  set 
ting  up  little  boughs  and  bunches  about  the  walls  and 
the  silver  sconces. 

Bernicia  turned  from  her  pleasant  work  toward  the 
door  as  Lord  Rashleigh  entered  the  room.  Her 
arms  were  full  of  laurel ;  there  was  a  spray  of  white 
mistletoe  berries  in  her  black  hair,  and  sprays  of  red 
rowan  berries  at  her  breast  and  belt  ;  and  she  stood 
among  the  boxwood  and  ivy  with  flushed  cheeks  and 
sparkling  eyes,  the  very  spirit  of  Christmas.  Lord 
Rashleigh  also  had  something  of  the  happy  time 
about  him.  The  crisp  frosty  morning  had  reddened 
his  cheeks,  and  his  rapid  ride  had  given  him  an  air  of 
life  and  expectation  ;  and  though  dressed  for  the 
saddle  only,  the  dress  was  very  becoming,  and  added 
that  touch  of  robust  manliness  which  he  seemed  to 
lack  in  the  splendour  of  velvet  and  satin. 

He  advanced  smiling,  with  outstretched  hands,  but 
Bernicia  took  advantage  of  the  green  emblems  which 
encumbered  her  own  and,  glancing  down  at  them, 
made  a  courtesy  in  acknowledgment  of  his  greeting. 
Then  he  turned  to  Jackanapes,  slipped  a  piece  of  silver 
in  his  hand,  and  sent  him  to  stand  at  his  horse's  head. 
They  were  then  alone,  and  there  was  a  look  of  deter 
mination  on  Lord  Rashleigh's  face  Bernicia  had  never 
before  seen  there.  It  instantly  roused  in  her  a  resolve 
to  hold  her  own  at  all  points,  and  she  met  his  eager 


THE   GREATEST    PLEASURE    OF    LIFE    IS   LOVE.      241 

gaze  with  one  of  enquiry  and  curiosity,  cold,  calm,  and 
wonderfully  captivating. 

"  Bernicia  ! " 

"  Miss  Cresswell,  if  you  are  speaking  to  me,  Lord 
Rashleigh." 

"  Bernicia  !  Bernicia  !     You  know  why  I  am  here." 

"I  am  too  stupid  even  to  guess  at  your  lordship's 
'whys.'  You  have  done  things  lately  which  I  could 
not  have  supposed  you  would  have  done  ;  you  have 
left  undone  other  things  I  should  have  thought  you 
would  have  done  at  the  peril  of  your  life." 

"  All  I  have  done,  all  I  have  left  undone,  has  one 
reason — my  love  for  you." 

"  I  will  shoulder  none  of  your  shortcomings  ;  and 
you  told  me  plainly  you  did  not  love  me." 

"  I  did  not  mean  it." 

"You  said  it." 

"  Then  let  me  unsay  it  all  my  life  long.  Be  my 
wife,  and  I  will  tell  you  every  hour  that  I  do  love 
you  ;  that  I  only  live  to  love  you." 

"  Such  a  life  would  be  extremely  stupid.  What  are 
protestations  worth  ?  Actions  speak  louder  than 
words." 

"  Tell  me  what  I  must  do,  then." 

"  I  do  not  live  to  order  your  lordship's  life." 

"Ah,  but  you  do  !  And  you  shall  !  for  unless 
you  order  my  life  I  am  but  a  dead  man.  How  soon 
will  you  forgive  me  for  not  killing  Mr.  Abney  ?  " 

"  I  would  never  forgive  you  if  you  did  kill  him." 

"  Grant  me  patience  !  What  do  you  desire  of 
me?" 

"  That  you  would  bid  me  good-morning.  You 
see  that  I  am  full  of  business." 


242  BERNICIA. 

"  Tell  me,  first,  how  I  have  offended  you." 

She  threw  down  the  wreaths  and  stuck  her  small 
hands  together.  "Yes,  I  will,"  she  answered.  "  You 
made  me  an  excuse  for  your  bad  temper  and  bad 
tongue  ;  you  threw  a  quarrel  at  Mr.  Abney  for  my 
sake,  and  then  backed  out  of  it.  You  insulted  me 
once,  twice,  thrice,  in  the  garden  at  Richmond.  You 
tsaid  then  plainly  you  did  not  believe  in  me,  you  did 
not  trust  me,  you  did  not  love  me.  Shall  I  take  your 
word  now,  when  you  say  you  do  love  me  ?  It  is  not 
worth  while.  I  do  not  believe  in  you  now.  I  do  not 
trust  you.  I  do  not  love  you." 

"  Yet  you  shall  believe  in  me,  you  shall  trust  me, 
you  shall  love  me.  I  vow  it  !  " 

"  There  is  no  power  in  heaven  or  earth  to  so  compel 
me." 

"  Oh,  but  there  is  !  There  is  omnipotent  Love. 
Bernicia,  you  are  so  exquisite,  so  charming,  be 
yond  all  comparison,  that  I  would  rather  live  and  die 
trying  to  win  you  than  have  the  love  of  all  other 
women.  Your  disdain  cannot  offend  me.  Your 
cruelty  cannot  weary  me.  When  Christmas  is  over 
I  shall  go  away  from  you,  out  of  England  altogether, 
until  my  twelve  months'  pledge  is  over.  Then  I  shall 
come  back  and  give  Mr.  Abney  a  lesson  in  good 
behaviour,  and '  % 

"Pshaw!  I  do  not  believe  that  the  men  of  this 
day  would  quarrel  with  a  dog  that  bit  them." 

"  And  then  I  shall  see  you  again." 

"  And  then — you  will  awake.  Pray  let  me  hear  no 
more.  Boasting  is  a  contemptible  thing." 

"  Let  me  boast,  at  least,  of  one  kind  word  before  I 
go  away.  Wish  me  a  merry  Christmas." 


THE   GREATEST    PLEASURE   OF    LIFE    IS    LOVE.       243 

"  I  wish  that  to  all  the  world,  sir,  and  I  have  no 
desire  to  except  you." 

"  Hang  it,  Bernicia  !  Can  you  not  make  the  wish 
a  little  kinder  ?  " 

His  persistence  and  good  nature  were  irresistible. 
She  smiled,  and  when  an  angry  woman  smiles  she 
has  lost  the  grip  of  her  temper. 

"  By  my  soul,  sweet  girl  !  I  shall  be  most  miser 
able  if  you  send  me  away  without  one  word  of  hope." 

"  I  have  been  very  angry  with  you." 

"  Faith  !  I  deserve  your  anger.     I  do,  indeed." 

"  You  treated  me  most  shamefully." 

"  It  is  most  true,  and  I  am  most  sorry  for  it. 
Forgive  me." 

"  If  I  did  forgive  you,  then  you  would  presume 
a  thousand  favours." 

"  I  would  presume  one,  which  would  include  all 
others.  I  would  say,  if  you  forgave  me,  Bernicia 
Cresswell,  be  my  wife." 

l<  Then  I  will  not  forgive  you." 

"  You  mean  you  will  not  be  my  wife  ?" 

"  Read  my  words  just  so." 

"Not  yet.  Tell  me  again  the  very  truth.  Will 
you  marry  me  when  I  come  back,  a  little  later? 
Think,  beloved  one  !  do  not  be  in  a  hurry  or  in  a 
passion.  One  year  from  now?  Two  years,  then — 
five  years  ?  Say  yes  !  Say  yes  !  Say  yes,  before 
I  go  !  " 

"  I  say,  no  !  " 

He  regarded  her  steadily  with  beaming  eyes  and  an 
eager,  questioning  look.  Her  heart  softened  under 
his  gaze,  but  the  faint,  scornful  smile  on  her  lips 
belied  her  heart,  and  he  saw  no  hope  beneath  it. 


244  BERNICIA. 

Yet  he  lifted  the  hand  nearest  to  his  own,  and,  press 
ing  it  to  his  lips,  asked  once  more  : 

"  Are  you  sure  it  is  '  no  '  ?  "  and  she  answered  in 
a  low  voice,  as  she  withdrew  her  hand  from  his  :  "I 
am  sure  it  is  '  no.'  " 

Then  he  went  away,  but  when  he  had  closed  the 
door  he  reopened  it,  swept  her  a  bow  with  his  hat  to 
the  very  floor,  and,  looking  bravely  into  her  face,  said 
with  a  confident  air  and  manner : 

"  Miss  Cresswell,  sometime  your  '  no  '  shall  be  '  yes.'  ' 

The  door  was  then  closed  with  a  determined  clash, 
and  she  was  wretched.  She  longed  to  call  him  back. 
She  ran  to  the  window  and  watched  him  mount  his 
horse,  and  thought  how  handsome  he  was,  and  how 
his  riding  suit  became  him,  and  she  hoped  he  would 
glance  up  ere  he  left  the  courtyard.  If  he  did,  she 
resolved  to  give  him  a  smile  that  would  recompense 
him  for  all  her  hard  words,  perhaps  even  bring  him 
back  to  her  presence.  But  he  gathered  up  the  reins, 
gave  the  ostler  a  piece  of  money  and  a  few  words 
which  brought  a  smile  to  the  man's  face,  and  then 
galloped  out  of  the  gates  and  down  the  road  as  if  he 
were  riding  for  his  life. 

"  He  is  a  kind  soul,"  she  thought  regretfully.  "  He 
must  have  remembered  Jasper's  Christmas  wish,  as 
well  as  his  gift,  for  Jasper  hardly  ever  smiles  at  any 
one."  Then  she  went  back  to  her  wreath-hanging, 
but  all  pleasure  had  passed  out  of  the  work,  and  she 
knew  that  whatever  Christmas  might  mean  for  others, 
it  was  spoiled  for  her.  Presently  Lady  Pomfret 
entered.  She  had  heard  Lord  Rashleigh  gallop  away, 
and  as  Bernicia  did  not  come  to  her,  she  had  a  shrewd 
guess  as  to  the  result  of  the  interview. 


THE    GREATEST    PLEASURE    OF    LIFE    IS    LOVE.       245 

"  Well,  miss  ?  "  she  asked,  "  have  you  sent  your 
lover  away  in  a  tantrum  ?  He  galloped  like  it." 

"  It  is  not  my  fault,  Fanny,  if  people  have  unreason 
able  tempers." 

"  So  you  have  said  '  no.'  You  will  say  that  word 
once  too  often,  if  you  do  not  take  care." 

"  Do  not  trouble  about  me,  Fanny.  I  am  all  in 
a  tremble,  and  out  of  spirits." 

"  It  stands  to  reason  so.  But  take  your  own  sweet 
will,  miss  ;  you  will  be  sorry  enough,  some  day." 

"  No,  I  shall  not,  Fanny.  There  now,  I  will  say  no 
more  on  the  subject.  I  can  hold  my  own  very  well." 

"  Hoity-toity  !  What  a  little  huff  we  are  in  !  I'll 
warrant  you  have  both  been  giving  each  other  the 
rough  side  of  your  tongues.  And  here  is  Harry  again  ! 
I  wish  to  goodness  he  would  get  married  to  Claire 
and  be  done  with  it.  Is  not  all  this  love-making 
a  little  tiresome  ?  Come  and  let  us  have  some  cold 
beef  and  a  custard." 

"  Anything,  anything,  Fanny,  but  love  and  kisses. 
I  am  sick  of  the  whole  jargon.  If  women  had  the 
choosing  of  husbands  they  would  make  a  far  simpler 
matter  of  it  than  men  make  of  choosing  wives." 

"  Do  not  imagine  such  a  calamity.  Fancy  what 
Lord  Pomfret  or  Lord  Rashleigh  would  be  if  you  or 
I  had  chosen  them  !  What  airs  they  would  give  them 
selves  !  What  contradictions  and  complaisances  we 
should  have  to  endure  !  They  would  give  us  kisses  as 
a  favour,  and  we  should  have  to  beg  them  for  a  smile  or 
a  little  attention.  And  could  you  imagine  what  Lord 
Pomfret  would  be  if  two  ladies  were  quarrelling  about 
him  ?  My  dear,  the  round  world  would  not  hold  him. 
No,  no !  Thank  Heaven  we  have  the  power  to  say 


246  BERNICIA. 

'no.'  When  we  lose  it  the  world  will  turn  topsy 
turvy.  Come,  the  beef  and  custard  waits.  I  dare  be 
bound  Lord  Rashleigh  has  gone  straight  to  his  club 
and  ordered  a  steak.  Do  you  hear  Harry  ?  How  he 
is  laughing  !  When  will  he  get  married,  I  wonder? 
Let  us  hurry  the  affair  forward.  What  do  you  say  ? 
Lord  Pomfret  is  mightily  tired  of  so  much  of  it." 

"  I  say  so.  Talk  to  Harry  to-day  about  it.  I  shall 
advise  Claire." 

"Can  you  manage  Claire  ?     I  think  not." 

"  Her  heart  has  doubtless  weakened  her  reason. 
It  is  always  good-morning  to  the  head  when  the  heart 
is  busy." 

"  Then  reason  for  her.  After  Christmas  it  will  be 
Heigho  !  for  something  to  do  and  to  worry  about." 

But  it  was  not  easy  reasoning  with  Claire  against 
her  conscience.  She  had  one  answer  for  all  the  argu 
ments  Lady  Pomfret,  Bernicia,  and  Harry  could 
bring  :  "  My  promise  has  been  given  for  six  months. 
I  can  take  no  step  till  that  time  is  over."  On  this  posi 
tion  she  stood  firm  as  a  rock,  and  was.  even  a  little 
disagreeably  resolute  on  the  matter  ;  "  sullen,"  Ber 
nicia  thought,  when  she  would  no  longer  discuss  it. 
Then  Harry  turned  traitor  and  stood  by  Claire,  and 
said  "  she  was  right,  and  ,that,  for  his  part,  he  was 
ashamed  he  had  permitted  his  desires  to  put  aside  his 
honour  for  a  moment."  And  there  was  a  little  coolness 
for  a  day  or  two,  and  Claire  suddenly  determined  to 
return  to  Bloomsbury  for  a  month. 

Then  Bernicia  went  the  full  length  and  breadth 
of  the  way  of  pleasure.  She  had  lovers  and  ser 
vants  to  answer  her  slightest  smile,  and  she  was  the 
rage  and  the  toast  of  the  season.  In  her  habit  of  blue 


THE    GREATEST  PLEASURE    OF    LIFE    IS    LOVE.      247 

and  white  cloth,  and  attended  by  Colonel  Derby,  she 
showed  the  loungers  of  the  Mall  and  the  Park  what 
a  Border  girl  could  do  with  a  horse  of  dangerous 
mettle.  She  was  always  one  of  Horace  Walpole's  gay 
parties  to  Vauxhall.  She  was  the  beauty  of  the 
morning  concerts  at  Ranelagh,  and  usually  sat  in  her 
box  surrounded  by  the  flowers  her  gallants  presented 
to  her.  There  she  sipped  her  tea  or  coffee  to  unceas 
ing  adulation,  and  finished  the  day  at  some  noble 
house,  where  dining,  dancing,  and  cards  passed  the 
reckless  hours  away.  Or  she  went  to  ridottos  or 
masquerades,  or  to  Mrs.  Comely 's  Harmonic  meet 
ings,  or  to  the  Italian  Opera  House.  And  everywhere 
she  watched  for  Lord  Rashleigh,  but  he  had  appar 
ently  disappeared  and  been  forgotten.  Not  even  his 
old  associates  named  him  to  her,  and  she  was  finally 
driven  to  ask  Lady  Pomfret  "  if  she  knew  to  what  part 
of  the  world  he  had  betaken  himself  and  his  temper  ?" 

"  You  have  driven  him  as  far  as  Constantinople,  I 
believe,  miss  ;  and,  as  Rashleigh  never  could  keep  his 
eyes  off  a  pretty  woman,  I  suppose  a  bow-string  or  a 
cimiter  has  made  an  end  of  him  by  this  time.  You  have 
a  dozen  lovers  present,  why  do  you  ask  after  him  ? " 

"  Because,  Fanny,  he  is  the  one  lover  not  present." 

"  He  has  forgotten  you,  I'll  warrant  ;  and,  for  that 
matter,  I  think  George  Abney  has  done  likewise." 

At  this  moment  Augustus  Hutton  entered,  and  both 
ladies  turned  to  him  with  no  end  of  questions.  "  Had 
he  done  this  and  that  ?  Had  he  seen  Mme.  Crefor 
about  Lady  Pomfret's  fan  ?  Had  he  ordered  the 
flowers  for  Ranelagh  ?  Where  was  he  going  in  such 
splendid  state  ?  "  etc.,  etc. 

Augustus  said  he  was  going  to  drive  with  Lady  Hen- 


248  BERNICIA. 

rietta  Hobart  ;  and  Lady  Pomfret  shook  her  head  at 
him,  and  vowed  he  had  the  courage  of  a  dozen  men. 
"  A  beauty  without  a  penny  of  fortune  !  "  she  ex 
claimed.  "Some  day  you  will  be  charmed  to  such  a 
pitch  that  you  will  ask  her  to  marry  you,  and  then, 
Mr.  Hutton,  can  you  tell  me  what  will  happen  ?  " 

"  I  hope  I  shall  have  the  good  fortune  to  be 
accepted  by  her." 

"  And  pray  what  will  Mr.  Hutton,  senior,  say  ?  And 
there  is  Miss  Abney  !  What  are  you  going  to  do 
about  Miss  Abney  ?  " 

<%  When  the  time  arrives  for  decision  the  way  will 
open.  I  cannot  go  through  a  gate  until  I  come  to  it, 
can  I,  Lady  Pomfret  ?" 

"  Oh,  wise  Augustus  !  "  she  answered  ;  and  with 
that,  Harry  came  in  and  asked  Bernicia  to  go  with 
him  to  Bloomsbury.  "  You  have  not  seen  Claire,"  he 
said,  "  for  nearly  a  month,  and  I  want  you  to  bring 
her  back  here.  I  am  tired  of  George  Abney's  sombre 
airs.  Why  do  you  not  put  the  man  out  of  his 
misery  ?  " 

"  Does  he  ask  for  me  ?  " 

"  He  asked  for  you  yesterday,  and  I  told  him  you 
had  the  town  at  your  feet." 

"  Pray  what  did  he  say  ?  " 

"  What  does  a  man  say  when  he  bites  his  thumb 
and  draws  his  brows  together  ?  He  also  enquired 
where  Lord  Rashleigh  was,  and  I  answered — at  the 
ends  of  the  earth  for  aught  anyone  knows  of  him." 

"And  then  what  ?" 

*'  He  walked  quickly  away.  Can  you  go  with  me  to 
Bloomsbury  ?  " 

"  I  shall  be  ready  in  an  hour." 


THE    GREATEST    PLEASURE    OF    LIFE    IS    LOVE.      249 

"So  long?" 

"  I  have  to  dress.  If  I  am  to  put  George  out  of  his 
misery,  I  wish  to  do  it  handsomely.  I  should  like 
him  to  feel  a  little  disappointment." 

Claire  was  really  delighted  to  see  Bernicia,  and 
Bernicia  pounced  on  Claire  like  a  robin  on  a  cherry. 
"  You  naughty  Claire  !  "  she  cried.  "  You  have  been 
in  the  sulks  for  four  weeks.  That  comes  of  being 
a  saint.  I,  who  am  a  sinner,  would  have  found  my 
temper  in  just  four  minutes.  Fie  for  shame,  Claire  ! 
to  make  us  all  miserable  because  we  wanted  to  make 
Harry  and  you  happy." 

"  Dear  Bernicia,  you  wanted  me  to  do  something 
that  was  not  honourable." 

"  Gracious  !  If  I  should  go  into  retreat  every  time 
I  was  asked  to  do  things  not  exactly  honourable, 
I  might  as  well  get  out  of  the  world  and  be  done 
with  it.  Fanny  and  Lord  Pomfret  want  to  see  you, 
and  do  you  happen  to  remember  that  in  four  more 
weeks  you  will  have  to  decide  between  Augustus  and 
Harry?  The  2ist  of  March,  Claire  !  A  great  day  !  a 
most  important  day  !  the  day  before  your  wedding 
day  !  " 

"  My  wedding  day  is  by  no  means  fixed." 

"  Tis  a  pity,  then.  You  will  be  in  a  nice  pickle  if 
it  is  not  settled  before  the  2ist  of  March.  Harry  will 
be  neither  to  hold  nor  to  bind.  Uncle  William  will  be 
urging  and  advising  and  perhaps  scolding :  there  will 
be  trouble,  and  no  end  of  it." 

Claire  listened  with  an  anxious  face.  "  There  will 
be  also  Augustus  Hutton,"  she  said.  "What  will  he 
say  ?  What  will  his  father  say  ?  Oh,  Bernicia  !  I  do 
not  know  what  to  do  !  " 


250  BERNICIA. 

"  As  to  Augustus,  I  shall  manage  Augustus  com 
pletely.  As  to  his  father,  he  does  nothing  but  talk 
about  his  son's  familiarity  with  lords  and  ladies.  I 
know  a  '  lady  '  who  will  make  him  very  indifferent  to 
your  affairs.  And  as  to  what  you  must  do,  Fanny 
will  tell  you  what  to  do.  And  grandmamma  also. 
That  reminds  me — I  shall  go  and  talk  to  grandmamma, 
while  you  put  on  your  frock  and  coat.  Where  is 
George  ? " 

"  At  the  office." 

"  How  is  he  ?  " 

"  As  disconsolate  and  gloomy  as  a  man  may  be. 
Bernicia,  you  do  certainly  love  him  a  little  ?  " 

"A  little?     Yes." 

"  And  will  love  him  more  ?  " 

"  I  know  not.  I  know  not  anything  of  what  I  may 
do  beyond  the  ten  minutes  I  give  you.  Do  not  keep 
me  waiting  longer." 

Madame  was  delighted  to  see  her  granddaugh 
ter.  She  smiled,  she  drew  her  face  close  to  her 
own  and  kissed  her.  Harry  had  really  set  the  door 
of  her  heart  open,  not  only  for  himself,  but  for  his 
sisters.  She  looked  at  Bernicia  and  was  proud  of  her 
beauty  and  fine  bearing.  "  You  are  like  Harry,"  she 
said.  She  could  think  of  no  higher  compliment. 
And  Bernicia  only  wanted  a  little  encouragement  to 
love  her.  She  kissed  her  gladly,  and  said,  "  How 
happy,  how  noble  you  look,  grandmamma !  You 
have  grown  ten  years  younger." 

"  It  is  Harry's  doing.  Tell  me  something  of  your 
life.  Harry  says  you  are  famous  ;  that  you  have 
many  lovers  ;  that  you  may  even  be  a  duchess  if  you 
will." 


THE    GREATEST    PLEASURE    OF    LIFE   IS   LOVE.      251 

"  But  I  will  not." 

"  Is  it  George  Abney  yet  ?  " 

She  shook  her  head. 

"  Lord  Rashleigh,  then  ?  " 

She  shook  her  head  again.  "  I  shall  tell  you,  when 
I  know  myself,"  she  answered. 

The  old  lady  was  vexed  when  Claire  took  her 
away.  She  was  enjoying  Bernicia's  confidences  and 
chatter ;  her  anecdotes  of  Fanny  and  Lord  Pomfret  ; 
her  queer  sarcastic  comments  on  people  and  events. 
"  You  grow  clever,  child,"  she  said,  "  and  sensible 
too,  I  think.  Come  and  see  me  again,  very  soon." 
She  did  not  understand  that  it  was  herself  who  had 
grown  loving;  and  that  with  the  enlargement  of  her 
heart  she  had  become  more  appreciative  of  the  excel 
lencies  of  others. 

The  question  of  Claire's  marriage,  broached  by 
Bernicia,  became  now  the  question  of  the  household 
in  Piccadilly.  It  was  discussed  morning  and  after 
noon  and  evening.  It  was  discussed  singly,  and  in 
council.  Harry  talked  it  over  in  every  light  with 
Claire,  and  with  Fanny,  and  with  Bernicia.  Fanny 
talked  it  over  with  Lord  Pomfret ;  and  Bernicia  talked 
it  over  with  Tarset.  Then  everyone  had  their  say  in 
company  :  but  the  end  of  all  deliberations  was  the 
same — Claire  must  marry  Harry  on  the  morning  of 
the  22d.  It  was  the  only  way  to  prevent  disputes, 
and  put  an  end  at  once  to  delays  and  proposals,  which 
at  the  last  could  only  terminate  in  the  same  way. 

At  first  Claire  made  a  resolute  stand  for  her  guar 
dian's  permission  ;  but  she  was  finally  persuaded  that 
it  would  be  the  greatest  kindness  to  prevent  him  hav 
ing  to  make  any  decision  in  the  matter  : 


252  BERNICIA. 

"  He  thinks  a  great  deal  of  his  promise  to  your 
parents,  Claire,"  said  Lord  Pomfret,  and  therefore 
you  ought  to  relieve  him  from  any  sense  of  breaking 
it.  It  is  your  duty  to  do  so." 

"  Blood  is  thicker  than  water,"  said  Lady  Pomfret. 
"Harry  is  his  own  nephew;  Augustus  Hutton 
is  neither  his  kith  nor  kin.  Uncle  William  is  not 
without  nature.  If  neither  his  help  nor  his  approval 
is  asked,  he  will  be  glad  enough  that  Harry  should 
win — whether  living  or  dead  be  against  it." 

"  There  is  another  reason  why  Uncle  William  should 
not  be  told,"  added  Bernicia.  "  Claire  is  a  little 
coward,  and  Uncle  William  might  send  her  to  her 
room  on  her  wedding  morning.  And  she  would  never 
have  the  face  to  disobey  him — the  thing  has  been 
proved."  And  Lord  Pomfret  laughed,  and  everyone 
laughed,  and  the  resolution  for  the  22d  of  March  was 
unanimously  carried. 

But  amid  all  the  happy  business  of  the  next  month 
Bernicia  appeared  to  have  the  most  to  do.  She  was 
out  so  frequently  with  Augustus  Hutton  that  their 
engagement  was  not  only  rumoured,  but  accepted  by 
the  majority  as  a  fact  ;  for  both  appeared  to  be  so 
happy,  so  full  of  affairs,  so  indifferent  to  the  rest  of 
the  world.  Singularly  enough,  Lady  Pomfret  took  no 
notice  of  this  fresh  interest  in  Bernicia's  life.  Usually, 
her  curiosity  would  not  have  suffered  it  to  pass  ;  but 
at  this  time  she  permitted  Bernicia  to  devote  herself 
to  Mr.  Hutton,  and  to  go  unquestioned  concerning 
her  motives  or  intentions.  Not  even  Claire  made  any 
remark  on  the  subject  ;  Bernicia  had  said  she  would 
"  manage  Augustus  completely,"  and  Claire  did  not 
doubt  her  ability  to  do  so.  Her  methods  and  their 


THE    GREATEST    PLEASURE    OF    LIFE    IS    LOVE.      253 

results  were  unknown,  but  everyone  had  a  comfortable 
reliance  on  them. 

As  the  22d  of  March  drew  near,  Lord  Pomfret 
visited  the  clergyman  of  his  parish  church,  and  advised 
him  of  the  marriage.  The  rank  of  the  contracting 
parties  and  Lord  Pomfret's  prestige  and  generosity 
answered  all  questions.  "The  young  people,"  he 
explained,  "  were  desirous  to  have  a  quiet  wedding, 
and  get  away  to  Sir  Harry's  castle  with  as  little  obser 
vation  as  possible  ;  and  for  his  part  he  thought  they 
were  right."  The  clergyman  thought  so  too,  and  was 
"certain  that  nothing  likely  to  lead  to  publicity  would 
attend  the  ceremony  in  the  church."  And  Lord  Pom- 
fret  was  as  proud  of  his  diplomacy  in  the  matter  as  if 
he  had  concluded  a  treaty  between  two  great  nations. 

Two  days  before  the  day  Harry  spoke  of  his  marriage 
to  madame.  She  was  always  inclined  to  discuss  the 
subject  with  a  little  temper,  and  that  morning  more 
so  than  usual. 

"  Can  you  not  be  content,  Harry  ? "  she  asked. 
"  Why  do  you  wish  to  put  an  end  to  the  days  of 
your  freedom  ?  A  married  man  is  never  his  own 
man  again.  Of  course  Claire  is  to  be  your  wife, 
but  why  hurry  the  matter  ?  In  a  year  hence,  it  will 
be  time  enough  to  talk  of  it." 

"  No,  mother  ;  I  am  anxious  to  go  to  Cresswell. 
The  place  needs  my  presence." 

"  I  thought  your  cousin  Allan  was  doing  very  well 
for  you." 

"  Allan  is  not  the  master.  I  must  go  north  in  two 
days." 

"  Two  days  !  Harry,  Harry,  you  connot  mean  it  ! 
It  will  break  my  heart  to  part  with  you." 


254  BERNlClA. 

"  But  my  darling  mother,  you  will  come  to  me  when 
the  summer  comes.  I  would  not  tell  you  before, 
because  I  could  not  bear  to  give  you  pain.  But  now 
I  must  go,  and  I  must  take  Claire  with  me." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  you  are  going  to  marry  Claire 
in  two  days  ?  " 

"Yes." 

She  was  silent  for  a  few  minutes.  There  was  a 
great  struggle  going  on  in  her  strong  loving  heart,  and 
she  would  not  speak  until  she  had  got  the  mastery. 
Harry  was  sitting  before  her  holding  her  hands,  and 
watching  for  the  first  trace  of  her  intention.  It  came 
with  a  sigh  and  a  smile.  She  stooped  forward  and 
kissed  him.  "  My  boy,"  she  said  softly,  "  I  wish 
that  you  may  be  happy.  I  wish  it,  with  all  my  heart." 

"  I  cannot  be  happy  without  your  presence  and 
blessing  ;  mother,  you  will  come  to  my  marriage  ?  I 
shall  bring  a  carriage  for  you  at  half-past  ten.  You 
will  not  disappoint  me  ?  It  would  be  but  a  sad  mar 
riage  without  you." 

"  Oh,  Harry,  how  can  I  ?  What  will  your  uncle  say  ? 
And  George  ?  If  you  had  told  your  uncle  I  should 
have  heard  of  it  from  him.  Are  you  going  to  marry 
Claire  unknown  to  him  ?  I  fear  you  will  get  into  great 
trouble." 

"  Not  if  you  are  present.  Uncle  will  not  ques 
tion  what  you  sanction.  You  see,  mother,  it  is  this 
way," — and  then  Harry  went  over  every  point  which 
made  the  marriage,  as  arranged,  a  kindness  and  a 
necessity.  "Why  should  we  begin  a  quarrel?"  he 
asked.  "  So  many  things  are  said  in  anger  that  had 
better  never  been  said,  and  uncle  will  be  very  glad 
to  be  relieved  from  the  cruelty  of  forcing  on  Claire 


THE    GREATEST    PLEASURE    OP    LIFE   IS   LOVE.      255 

a  marriage  she  would  rather  die  than  submit  to. 
When  a  condition  is  irrevocable,  people  make  the 
best  of  it.  Uncle  William  will  do  so  also." 

"  I  will  tell  you  what  he  will  do.  If  there  is  the 
slightest  chance  of  breaking  the  marriage — for  you 
know  Claire  is  yet  a  minor — he  will  invoke  the  law  to 
break  it.  If  she  is  a  ward  of  Chancery — which  I  think 
likely — you  can  be  punished  with  transportation  to 
slavery  in  the  colonies,  or  even  with  death  for  abduct 
ing  her.  Take  my  advice,  put  off  your  marriage  until 
Claire  is  her  own  mistress." 

"  Before  that  time  Uncle  William  will  have  forced 
her  into  a  marriage  with  Augustus  Hutton,  or  she  will 
have  fretted  herself  into  the  grave.  Mother,  I  love 
Claire,  and  you  know  how  important  her  fortune  will 
be  to  me." 

"  I  know.     But  wait  a  little,  Harry." 

"  I  cannot  wait.  All  arrangements  are  made.  I 
shall  be  married  on  the  22d,  at  eleven  o'clock  in  the 
morning.  Are  you  going  to  desert  me — you,  to  whom 
I  owe  everything  ?  For  while  others  talked  and  specu 
lated  about  my  pardon,  you  went  to  Mr.  Whitefield 
and  got  the  promise  that  obtained  the  pardon.  Now 
help  me  to  the  wife  that  will  make  me  happy  and  the 
fortune  that  will  make  me  great.  Dear  mother,  will 
you  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  resist  you,  Harry.  And  if  your  marriage 
has  to  be,  my  presence  is  the  only  way  to  prevent  your 
uncle  making  great  trouble  about  it.  Come  for  me 
yourself.  I  will  be  ready.  Oh,  Harry  !  Harry  !  you 
have  made  me  to  live  again.  I  was  like  a  dead 
woman  when  you  came  to  me.  What  else  can  I  do 
but  bless  you  and  pleasure  you  in  all  things  ?  "  and 


256  BERNICIA. 

she  lifted  her  face  wet  with  the  tears  of  love,  and 
Harry  kissed  them  away. 

The  next  morning  he  was  at  Bloomsbury  mansion 
at  the  appointed  time.  He  was  full  of  fears  lest  some 
mischance  should  have  detained  William  Bouverie  or 
George  Abney  later  at  home  than  usual.  But  they 
had  been  gone  for  an  hour  and  the  house  was  in  its 
customary  still  life.  The  porter  looked  with  curious 
attention  at  Harry's  splendid  wedding  suit,  because 
he  wished  to  describe  it  to  his  fellow-servants.  He 
thought  of  course  that  Harry  was  going  to  court,  but 
why  was  madame  going  with  him  ?  All  day  long  this 
question  excited  the  household. 

For  only  two  of  the  oldest  servants  had  ever  seen 
madame  arrayed  as  she  was  this  morning  :  the  por 
ter,  who  remembered  her  splendours  when  Nicholas 
Bouverie  was  Lord  Mayor  of  London,  and  she  had 
given  great  feasts  in  the  Guildhall,  and  her  own 
woman  Barbara,  who  had  attired  and  dressed  her  for 
them.  That  was  many  years  ago.  They  had  almost 
forgotten  the  time.  Harry  started  with  admiration, 
and  his  unavoidable  exclamations  were  the  sincerest 
flattery  madame  could  have  had.  She  rose  with  a 
smile  to  meet  him,  and  said  :  "  I  do  not  intend  to 
shame  your  splendour,  Harry  ! "  and  he  answered  : 
"  You  are  simply  beautiful,  mother  !  I  might  well  be 
proud  to  take  you  into  the  king's  presence."  For  she 
had  removed  for  the  occasion  her  black  garments  and 
was  dressed  in  a  fawn-coloured  satin,  embroidered  with 
silver,  and  trimmed  with  lace  of  priceless  value  and 
beauty,  and  round  her  neck  were  three  long  strands  of 
magnificent  pearls,  the  lowest  falling  even  to  the  waist 
line.  As  she  rose,  Barbara  advanced  and  covered  her 


THE    GREATEST    PLEASURE    OF    LIFE    IS    LOVE.      257 

head  and  form  with  a  hood  and  cloak  of  blue  velvet 
lined  with  ermine.  And  it  was  wonderful  to  see  how 
proudly  madame  walked  by  Harry's  side  without  one 
faltering  step. 

"  She  has  found  her  years  again,"  said  Barbara  to 
the  porter.  "  There  was  never  any  right  in  her  being 
so  old.  It  was  just  sitting  still  and  fretting  for  the 
days  that  had  gone." 

"  Ay,  it  does  make  a  difference  whether  one  looks 
forward  or  backward,"  the  old  man  answered,  and 
Barbara  and  he  watched  the  coach  out  of  sight,  and 
then  went  to  the  kitchen  to  talk  over  this  wonderful 
event. 

The  church  was  open,  but  it  was  still  empty  when 
madame  and  Harry  arrived  there,  and  the  noble  old 
lady  and  the  splendidly  handsome  youth  made  a  start 
ling  picture  in  the  dim,  dusty,  silent  church.  Madame 
sat  down  in  one  of  the  pews  near  the  communion  rail 
and  Harry  stood  by  her  side.  Both  were  keenly 
sensitive  to  that  spiritual  aura  which  clings  to  places 
in  which  humanity  for  generations  has  poured  out  its 
spiritual  life  in  prayer,  and  sorrow  and  adoration.  It 
was  a  short  interval  of  lofty  and  intense  feeling,  and 
then  the  clergyman  in  his  white  surplice,  and  Claire 
in  her  bridal  garments,  attended  by  a  little  company 
of  gaily  dressed  friends,  entered  at  the  same  moment. 

Claire  leaned  upon  Lord  Pomfret's  arm,  but  when 
they  reached  the  altar  Lord  Pomfret  had  taken  Harry's 
place  and  Harry  was  standing  by  his  bride.  There 
was  no  delay,  and  in  a  short  half  hour  the  irrevocable 
words  were  spoken, — irrevocable,  because  no  after 
words  can  ever  unsay  or  undo  their  eternal  conse 
quences  and  their  eternal  memories.  Then  the  party 


258  BERNICIA. 

adjourned  to  the  vestry,  and  madame,  in  a  clear  bold 
hand,  wrote  her  name  first  among  the  witnesses.  An 
air  of  joyfulness  pervaded  the  dingy  little  room  : 
Claire  was  radiant  as  a  bride  could  be  ;  Harry  un 
speakably  happy  ;  madame  proudly  satisfied  ;  and 
the  rest  of  the  company  breathing  an  atmosphere  of 
sympathetic  pleasure. 

After  the  signing  of  the  register,  Lady  and  Lord 
Pomfret  entreated  madame  to  eat  breakfast  with  the 
bridal  party  ;  and  when  Harry  took  her  hand  and 
kissed  her,  she  could  no  longer  make  an  excuse.  And 
it  was  a  wonderful  breakfast  to  her.  She  sat  at 
Harry's  left  hand  :  she  drank  the  first  toast  to  his 
happiness  ;  she  was  the  beloved  and  honoured  guest  of 
everyone  present  ;  she  saw  her  granddaughters  as 
she  had  never  before  seen  them  ;  and  as  for  Lord 
Pomfret,  he  took  especial  pleasure  in  paying  her 
respect  and  attention.  She  was  not  able  to  find  any 
thing  in  him  but  what  was  charming  and  good. 

When  the  breakfast  was  over,  Claire  and  Harry 
departed  for  their  Border  home,  and  the  company 
dispersed.  Then  Lord  Pomfret  made  it  a  point  of  hon 
our  to  take  madame  in  his  own  coach  as  far  as 
Bloomsbury.  He  was  so  eager  to  please  her,  so  care 
ful  of  her  comfort,  so  determined  to  make  her  safety 
his  own  care,  that  Bernicia  could  not  but  wonder, 
until  Lady  Pomfret  laughingly  explained  "  that  it  was 
her  lord's  clever  way  to  compass  his  own  pleasure." 

"  He  wants  to  go  to  White's,  my  dear,  and  he  will 
take  our  grandmother  home,  to  get  there  without 
question  or  opposition.  La,  Bernicia,  I  know  exactly 
what  his  little  plan  is  !  He  will  play  the  angelical 
all  the  way  to  Bloomsbury,  then  he  will  dash  off  to 


THE    GREATEST    PLEASURE   OF    LIFE    IS   LOVE.      259 

White's,  send  home  the  carriage,  and  settle  down  to  a 
comfortable  night  with  the  cards.  But  he  has  been 
obliging  beyond  everything  lately,  and  I  trust  I  know 
enough  to  sometimes  know  nothing.  Let  us  sit  down 
and  have  a  quiet  day.  We  have  lived  in  a  whirlwind 
for  a  month  or  more." 

Madame  was  a  little  afraid  that  she  would  find  her' 
son  at  home,  but  he  was  even  later  than  usual.  She 
had  plenty  of  time  to  remove  all  her  splendours,  and 
resume  the  modest  black  silk  and  white  lawn  which 
was  her  usual  attire,  and  to  knit  several  rounds  in  her 
stocking,  before  she  heard  his  step.  But  she  knew 
the  moment  he  entered  the  house  that  he  brought 
anger  and  trouble  with  him.  He  came  to  her  speedily; 
his  face,  his  deportment,  his  speech,  all  expressing  the 
uttermost  wrath  and  indignation. 

"  Do  you  know,  mother,  what  this  means  ?  "  he 
asked,  in  a  stern  voice.  "  I  have  a  letter  from  Claire, 
in  which  she  says,  she  has  married  my  scamp  of  a 
nephew,  Harry  Cresswell." 

"  William,  your  nephew  is  the  finest  gentleman  in 
England.  I  say  it." 

"  He  is  a  scoundrel  of  the  first  water  !  But  I  will 
send  the  officers  of  the  law  after  him.  Do  you  know 
that  he  has  abducted  an  heiress,  and  made  himself 
liable  to  be  sold  as  a  slave  to  the  colonies  ?  Yes, 
indeed  !  If  I  rouse  the  Chancellor  in  the  matter,  he 
will  find  it  hard  to  escape  the  gallows.  Why  do  you 
not  speak,  mother  ?  " 

For  madame,  after  looking  scornfully  into  her  son's 
face,  had  dropped  her  eyes  upon  her  knitting,  as  if  it 
were  her  only  interest.  When  William  Bouverie  again 
asked  the  question,  she  answered  : 


260  BERNICIA. 

"  When  you  talk  like  a  reasonable  man,  and  not  like 
an  angry  boy,  it  will  be  time  enough  to  answer  you  : 
as  for  the  officers  of  the  law,  and  the  Chancellor,  and 
the  gallows,  they  are  all  nonsense." 

"  I  am  talking  of  the  law  of  England,  and  Harry 
Cresswell  will  not  find  breaking  it  all  nonsense  !  " 

"  What  has  Harry  done  wrong  ?  " 

"  He  has  carried  off  Claire  Abney." 

"  It  was  very  imprudent  of  Harry,  for  he  ought  to 
have  married  a  girl  in  his  own  rank,  a  lady  of  birth 
and  political  influence.  I  have  told  him  so  often. 
What  does  George  say  ?  " 

"  George  does  not  yet  know.  He  went  to  Green 
wich  early  this  morning  on  business.  I  did  not  get 
this  letter  until  half-past  three  o'clock.  But  George 
is  infatuated  with  Bernicia.  I  cannot  depend  upon 
George  in  this  matter." 

"  Then  you  stand  alone  in  your  opposition  to  the 
marriage." 

"  What  kind  of  a  marriage  ?  "  he  asked,  in  a  passion. 
"  I  will  be  bound,  it  was  done  in  a  corner,  by  some 
wretched  Fleet  parson." 

"  It  was  done  in  Lord  Pomfret's  parish  church. 
Lord  and  Lady  Pomfret,  Bernicia,  Sir  Thomas  #nd 
Lady  Darner,  Captain  Bedford  and  Miss  Bellenden, 
Admiral  Graves  and  the  Hon.  Jack  Capel,  and  the 
two  Miss  Sheridans,  were  among  the  witnesses  to  it." 

"  How  do  you  know  this  ?  Have  you  also  had  a 
letter?" 

"I  was  present  at  the  ceremony  ;  and  at  the  wedding 
breakfast  after  it." 

"  What !  I  cannot  believe  it,  mother  !  You  !  You  ! 
How  could  you  deceive  and  wrong  me  so  shamefully  ?  " 


THE    GREATEST    PLEASURE    OF    LIFE    IS    LOVE.      261 

"  My  dear  son,  what  I  have  done,  I  have  done  to 
spare  you,  and  all  of  us,  a  great  deal  of  trouble  and 
annoyance.  Under  existing  circumstances  you  are 
responsible  for  nothing.  You  have  made  no  decision, 
you  have  expressed  no  opinion,  you  have  given  no 
consent.  Claire  has  taken  the  whole  blame — if  there 
be  any  blame — upon  herself.  As  for  abduction,  that 
is  sheer  nonsense,  if  you  please.  For  she  gave  herself 
willingly  to  Harry,  in  the  presence  of  many  reputable 
witnesses.  She  waited  the  full  six  months  she 
promised  to  wait,  and  at  the  end  of  them  found  her 
self  more  resolved  than  ever  not  to  marry  Augustus 
Hutton.  I  doubt  myself  whether  Augustus  wished  to 
marry  her." 

"  Have  you  heard  anything  about  him  ?  " 

"  I  neither  saw  him,  nor  yet  heard  his  name  men 
tioned.  William,  there  is  nothing  for  you  to  do  but 
accept  what  you  cannot  put  aside.  Had  Claire  waited 
for  your  consent,  she  might  have  waited  a  year,  five 
years  ;  she  might  have  died  in  the  waiting,  and  you 
would  not  have  given  it.  And  all  the  time  there 
would  have  been  disputing,  and  fretting,  and  worrying 
without  end.  I  say  it  was  a  wise  thing,  and  a  kind 
thing,  to  prevent  this  prolonged  suffering — wise  and 
kind  for  you,  and  for  everyone." 

"  Mother,  I  have  been  a  good  son  to  you.  I  have 
never  at  any  time  grieved  you,  and  yet,  ever  since  you 
saw  this  rebel  grandson,  you  have  put  him  before  me." 

"  Had  you  been  in  trouble,  in  danger,  in  poverty,  as 
Harry  was,  I  should  have  stood  just  as  truly  by  you, 
son  William.  But  what  do  you  need  of  me  ?  Love 
asks  service  and  self-sacrifice  to  keep  it  alive.  I  can 
do  nothing  for  you." 


262  BERNICIA. 

"  You  can  do  a  great  thing  for  me.  Let  me  now 
tell  you  that  I  have  loved  for  six  years  the  sweet 
Marion  Wilton,  the  widow  of  our  late  minister.  And 
for  your  sake,  because  I  would  put  no  woman  here 
before  you,  I  have  not  asked  her  to  marry  me." 

"  Then  you  have  done  Marion  Wilton  a  great  wrong, 
and  you  must  repair  it  at  once.  You  need  not  fear  to 
bring  her  here,  for  my  heart  has  renewed  itself,  and  I 
am  eager  to  love  and  to  be  loved.  In  the  future  I 
shall  live  much  among  my  grandchildren,  and  learn 
how  good  each  one  is  in  his  and  her  own  way.  I  like 
Madame  Wilton.  Your  choice  of  a  wife  is  admirable. 
Bring  her  home,  and  the  sooner  the  better." 

"  Thank  you,  mother  !  "  He  was  touched  and 
softened  by  a  consent  so  warm  and  so  unexpected, 
and  he  said,  in  a  much  more  natural  voice  :  "  I  can- 
not  help  feeling  very  anxious  about  Claire.  It  is  a 
long,  hard  journey  to  Northumberland  in  the  spring, 
when  the  roads  are  so  bad  ;  and  if  what  Allan  Cress- 
well  said  be  but  half  true,  Cresswell  Castle  is  far  from 
being  a  comfortable  habitation." 

"  Harry  sent  a  servant  before  them  to  secure  at 
short  distances  lodging  and  fresh  horses.  As  foi^ 
Cresswell  Castle,  the  central  portion  has  been  in  the 
hands  of  builders  and  furnishers  for  four  months. 
Woodwork  and  upholstery  of  the  most  splendid  kind 
have  been  sent  from  London,  and  Allan  Cresswell's 
last  advices  said  :  '  The  central  rooms  of  the  castle 
are  now  fit  for  a  queen  to  dwell  in.'  " 

"  Where  did  Harry  get  the  money  for  such  extrava 
gance  ?  He  must  have  mortgaged  the  place." 

*'  He  did.     I  hold  the  mortgage." 

William  Bouverie  bit  his   lip  suddenly,   but    said 


THE    GREATEST    PLEASURE    OF    LIFE    IS    LOVE.       263 

nothing  in  reply,  and  madame  rose,  with  some  re 
mark  about  the  dinner  being  more  than  ready. 
.Neither,  however,  had  any  appetite  for  dinner,  and 
what  conversation  there  was  referred  entirely  to  Mr. 
Hutton,  senior. 

"  I  must  see  him  at  once,"  said  William  Bouverie, 
"  and  I  am  ashamed  of  my  errand.  How  he  will 
take  the  matter  remains  to  be  seen.  He  may  insist 
on  Claire's  minority  and  legal  inability  to  decide 
her  own  lot,  and  thus  make  all  the  trouble  you  have 
taken  so  much  unnecessary  care  to  prevent  me 
making." 

It  was  therefore  with  some  trepidation  he  knocked 
at  Mr.  Hutton's  door.  If  he  had  heard  of  the 
marriage,  he  expected  to  find  him  with  his  son, 
and  in  a  very  bad  temper.  He  was  agreeably  disap 
pointed.  Mr.  Hutton  was  alone  and  in  the  highest 
possible  spirits. 

"  Come  in,  friend  Bouverie  !  "  he  cried.  "  I  was 
just  thinking  about  you,  just  wanting  to  see  you. 
What  lucky  circumstance  brought  you  here  to-night  ? " 

"  A  very  unlucky  one,  I  fear.  Claire  Abney  has 
married  herself  to  my  nephew  this  morning.  It  looks 
bad,  Hutton,  for  me.  It  looks  as  if  I  wanted  Claire's 
money  for  my  nephew.  Nothing  could  be  less  true. 
I  have  done  all  in  my  power  to  forward  your  son's 
interest  and  suit.  Take  my  word  for  that." 

As  William  Bouverie  made  this  exculpation  of  him 
self,  the  father  of  Augustus  was  tapping  smilingly  a 
letter  which  lay  under  his  hand.  "  Bouverie,"  he 
said,  "  we  are  both  a  little  behind  our  children.  When 
and  where  was  Claire  married  ?  " 

"  She  was  married  at  Lord  Pomfret's  parish  church 


264  BERNICIA. 

at  eleven  o'clock  this  morning,  to  Sir  Harry  Cress- 
well." 

"  And  my  son  Augustus  was  married  at  St.  Mar-_ 
garet's  Church  at  eleven  o'clock  this  morning,  to  Lady 
Henrietta  Hobart,  an  earl's  daughter,  one  of  the  old 
est  families  in  England  ;  lots  of  influence !  Bless 
my  soul,  Bouverie,  I  cannot  take  it  in  !  My  son  to 
marry  a  *  Lady ' — an  earl's  daughter  !  It  is  past  all 
whooping  over  !  "  And  Hutton  laughed  aloud  in  his 
joy,  and  was  even  a  little  testy  because  his  friend 
was  not  equally  delighted.  Indeed,  Mr.  Hutton  was 
so  excited  over  his  son's  grand  marriage  that  he  would 
hardly  notice  the  fact  that  Claire  had  a  great  deal  of 
money  and  property  and  Lady  Henrietta  not  a  penny. 

"  She  has  blood,"  he  said,  "and  blood  is  better  than 
money.  Augustus  has  plenty  of  money  in  his  own 
right,  and  he  can  count  on  mine  to  help  his  out. 
And  the  beginning  and  the  end  of  it  is,  the  young 
people  were  in  love  ;  and,  after  all,  Bouverie,  >jt  is 
love  that  makes  the  world  go  round." 

There  was  really  nothing  to  be  obtained  from  the 
elder  Mr.  Hutton  but  self-congratulations.  He  was 
so  much  excited  over  his  son's  marriage  that  he  took 
no  interest  in  Claire's,  and  the  old  promise,  which 
had  been  such  a  vital  thing  to  William  Bouverie,  had 
become  to  him  a  very  shadowy  affair. 

"  People  could  not  look  twenty  years  ahead  ;  it  was 
nonsense,"  he  said.  "  And  as  to  giving  marriage  orders 
for  babies  in  their  cradles,  it  was  a  thing  beyond 
reason.  For  his  part,  he  was  glad  the  children  of  the 
bond  had  broken  it,  and  done  so  well  in  the  breaking. 
It  might  have  been  broken  to  no  purpose  but  poverty 
and  shame.  He  thought  they  might  have  a  bottle  of 


THE    GREATEST    PLEASURE    OF    LIFE    IS    LOVE.       265 

wine  together,  and  drink  the  health  of  the  two  fair 
brides  and  the  two  clever  young  fellows  who  had  won 
them." 

And  while  they  were  doing  so,  Bernicia  sat  thought 
fully  over  her  bedroom  fire  talking  to  Tarset.  Lady 
Pomfret  had  gone  early  to  bed,  to  pay  up  more  ar 
rears  of  sleep,  and  the  house  was  very  silent.  "  I 
wonder,  Tarset,"  said  Bernicia,  "if  this  wedding  will 
last  through  their  wedded  life  ? " 

"  I  think  it  will,"  answered  Tarset.  "  Lady  Claire 
is  good,  fair,  wise,  and  rich — that  is,  a  woman  four 
stories  high  ;  and  Sir  Harry's  love  for  her  is  very 
great,  and  will  better  what  is  best  in  her.  I  wish 
that  you  were  wed  with  as  much  good  promise." 

"  Tarset,  have  you  not  yourself  often  told  me  to 
look  well  to  the  other  horse  before  I  ran  in  harness. 
Not  every  couple  makes  a  pair." 

"  To  be  sure,  miss.  But,  then,  if  you  always  say 
(  no,'  you  will  never  be  married." 

"  Wedlock  is  padlock,  I  will  not  put  my  finger 
into  too  tight  a  ring." 

"  Now,  Lord  Rashleigh " 

"  Oh,  no  !  " 

11  Mr.  George  Abney,  then  ?  " 

"  Oh,  no  !  " 

"  Tush,  miss  !  They  love  most  who  deny  their  love. 
With  either  of  these  men  you  would  be  happily 
united." 

"Yes,  I  know.  I  have  often  heard  that  in  marriage 
two  are  made  one.  The  question  is,  which  one  ? 
Would  Lord  Rashleigh  become  me,  or  should  I  have 
to  lose  my  identity  in  his  ?  About  George  Abney, 
there  is  no  doubt  of  which  one" 


266  BERNICIA. 

"  If  you  would  feel  more  and  reason  less,  miss, 
you  might  come  to  be  a  wife,  else " 

"  I  am  sleepy.  I  will  dream  that  I  am  in  love. 
If  I  knew  where  Lord  Rashleigh  was  I  would  send 
my  dream  to  seek  him.  There  could  be  no  danger  in 
a  dream  marriage." 

"  Take  your  time,  miss.  Perhaps  marriage  is  not  in 
your  destiny  at  all,  and  'tis  well  known  that  marriage 
and  hanging  go  by  destiny." 

Then  the  wilful  girl  turned  in  a  flash  of  temper 
and  said :  "  If  it  is  not  there  I  shall  make  it  there. 
You  may  be  sure  of  that !  " 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE    WORD    LISTENED    FOR. 

MADAME  sat  long  that  night  talking  of  the  past  to 
her  woman ;  for  she  was  too  excited  by  the  unusual 
events  of  the  day  to  sleep,  and  she  was  also  waiting 
for  her  son's  return  from  his  visit  to  Mr.  Hutton. 
She  knew  the  latter  to  be  a  vain  man,  having  a  strong 
consciousness  of  his  own  wealth  and  importance,  and 
she  feared  he  would  resent  to  the  utmost  of  his  power 
the  implied  slight  to  his  son.  But  William  Bouverie 
passed  the  night  with  his  friend.  They  easily  slipped 
from  their  conversation  about  Claire's  marriage  to  an 
examination  of  Claire's  financial  affairs,  and  a  discus 
sion  as  to  the  best  possible  manner  in  which  to  settle 
her  estate  on  herself,  and  prevent  Sir  Harry  Cresswell 
dissipating  it,  for  as  yet  William  Bouverie  had  formed 
no  good  opinion  of  Harry;  he  believed  him  to  be 
entirely  reckless  and  improvident. 

So  George  did  not  hear  of  his  sister's  marriage  until 
the  following  morning.  It  caused  him  no  surprise. 
He  had  seen  and  understood  the  conditions  between 
Harry  and  Claire  from  the  beginning  of  their  acquain 
tance.  Nor  did  he  seriously  disapprove  of  the  alliance. 
He  believed  that  the  love  between  Harry  and  Claire 
was  sufficient  to  reconcile  all  differences  of  faith  and 
education.  But  he  was  much  pained  by  the  fact  that 
he  had  not  been  trusted  with  their  intentions,  and  not 

267 


268  BERNICIA. 

asked  to  take  a  share  in  the  nuptial  ceremony.  He 
was  willing  to  admit  that  their  desire  to  save  Claire's 
guardian  all  overt  action  in  the  matter  was  wise  and 
reasonable,  but  he  wished  Bernicia  had  influenced  him 
to  take  a  part  in  their  plans.  She  had  not  done  so. 
She  had  feared  it  would  give  him  too  many  oppor 
tunities,  and  place  him  on  too  familiar  a  footing. 
And  he  set  down  the  omission  on  the  same  list  as 
Lady  Pomfret's  supposed  threefold  denial  to  his  visits. 

The  subject  admitted  of  endless  dicussion,  but 
neither  madame  nor  William  Bouverie  looked  at  it  in 
the  same  way  as  George  did.  Madame  would  not  see 
that  George  had  been  badly  treated.  "You  would 
have  embarrassed  Claire,"  she  said.  "She  always 
was  a  little  afraid  of  you;  and  your  jealousy  would 
have  kept  Bernicia  in  a  temper  all  the  time.  Bernicia 
was  sure  it  would  be  better  that  you  had  Qothing  to  do 
in  the  matter,  and  I  think  so  too."  William  Bouverie 
was  of  the  same  opinion.  He  thought  there  would  be 
plenty  of  annoying  suspicions  and  talk  in  the  Silver 
Street  Meeting.  Many  would  say  they  had  managed 
to  keep  Claire's  money  in  the  family,  and  it  was  a 
good  thing  for  Claire's  brother  to  be  able  to  positively 
deny  their  knowledge  of  Claire's  intentions. 

One  April  day,  when  spring  was  at  its  loveliest, 
Lord  Pomfret  was  summoned  to  Windsor  on  business 
likely  to  keep  him  for  a  week,  and  Bernicia  said  to 
her  sister:  "Suppose  I  go  for  grandmother?  Let  us 
give  her  one  happy  day,  make  a  great  deal  of  her, 
show  her  as  much  of  the  world  as  she  would  like  to 
see." 

"It  is  a  good  thought,  Bernicia,"  answered  Lady 
Pomfret.  "After  all,  in  spite  of  our  friends  and 


THE    WORD    LISTENED    FOR.  269 

lovers,  what  two  lonely  women  we  are!  There  is  no 
one  in  London  of  our  kindred  but  grandmother  and 
Uncle  William,  and  we  see  next  to  nothing  of  them." 

"There  is  Lord  Pomfret." 

"La,  child!  He  is  only  a  connection  by  marriage. 
But  grandmother  and  uncle  are  of  our  blood,  and  if 
it  came  to  will-making,  we  should  feel  it.  Say  we  had 
not  seen  them  for  a  year  of  Sundays,  yet  I'll  wager 
anything  we  should  leave  all  we  had  to  them,  rather 
than  to  any  of  the  dear  friends  and  lovers  that  we 
dine  with,  and  dance  with,  and  make  love  to,  every 
day  of  our  lives." 

So  Bernicia  went  for  madame,  and  the  old  lady  was 
pleased  to  spend  a  whole  day  with  her  granddaughters. 
Fanny  had  surprised  her  on  the  wedding  day;  she 
could  hardly  believe  that  the  gracious,  cheerful,  kindly 
woman  was  the  proud,  intolerant  girl  she  had  tried  to 
influence  on  her  first  entrance  into  London  life.  Nor 
was  she.  In  the  intervening  years,  Fanny  had  rubbed 
smooth  the  angles  of  her  character,  and  lost  the  offen 
sive  self-sufficiency  which  accompanies  youth,  and 
an  especially  happy  and  prosperous  youth.  She  had 
learned  to  control  her  own  wishes,  and  be.  thoughtful 
of  the  wishes  of  others ;  and  in  fact,  had  become  a 
much  more  loving  and  lovable  woman. 

So  madame  went  for  one  day,  and  she  stayed  four; 
further,  she  thoroughly  enjoyed  every  hour  of  her 
visit.  Her  granddaughters  took  her  to  drive,  and 
showed  her  all  the  notables  on  the  Mall  and  in  the 
park;  interspersing  their  information  with  witty  and 
interesting  anecdotes — bits  of  charming  gossip  and  not 
too  ill-natured  "hear-says,"  traditions,  love  affairs, 
naughty  gambling  stories  with  good  morals,  and  news 


270  BERNICIA. 

of  the  court  and  royal  family,  told  softly  with  slight 
pretences  to  secrecy.  And  what  woman,  old  or 
young,  very  pious  or  very  worldly,  ever  lived  who  was 
averse  to  such  conversation?  It  may  be  listened  to 
with  advisory  deprecations,  or  with  genuine  enjoy 
ment,  but  it  is  listened  to,  and  madame,  apart  from 
this  natural  love  of  hearing  and  seeing,  was  thoroughly 
under  the  charm  of  her  two  beautiful  and  affec 
tionate  companions. 

And  though  Lady  Pomfret  had  no  special  entertain 
ments  during  these  four  days,  many  interesting  people 
called,  and  sipped  tea,  and  talked  of  the  masques  and 
dinners  they  had  been  to,  and  told  the  news  of  the 
town.  On  the  last  day  they  went  together  to  call 
upon  Lady  Augustus  Hutton,  and  found  her  mixing 
a  lemonade  for  her  father-in-law,  who'Vas  in  a  seventh 
heaven  of  proud  delight  at  finding  himself  actually 
among  the  British  nobility.  And  when  they  re 
turned  home  they  had  a  delightful  little  dinner  in 
Fanny's  own  parlour,  and  Bernicia  imitated  the  old 
gentleman's  conceited  antics,  and  discussed  his 
remarks,  madame  and  Lady  Fanny  adding  pepper 
and  salt  to  the  conversation.  They  sat  at  a  small 
round  table  and  helped  each  other  to  the  hot  rook  pie, 
and  roasted  birds,  and  delicious  sweets ;  and  in  their 
pleasant  privacy  laughed  and  chatted  about  their 
acquaintances,  and  speculated  and  prophesied  about 
Harry  and  Claire,  and  altogether  had  such  real 
delight  in  their  trustful  confidences  as  they  had  never 
found  in  any  public  effort  to  be  happy. 

Finally,  William  Bouverie's  probable  marriage  was 
spoken  of,  and  Lady  Pomfret  said  she  was  glad  to 
hear  the  news.  Madame,  she  said,  would  then  be 


THE    WORD    LISTENED    FOR.  271 

far  more  with  her  grandchildren,  and  as  she  was  the 
eldest,  she  would  have  the  first  claim  upon  her  com 
pany.  Upon  which  Bernicia  vowed  she  would  choose 
a  husband  and  marry  forthwith,  in  order  to  get  her 
share;  "and  is  it  not  a  mercy,  Fanny,"  she  asked, 
"that  Harry  lives  so  far  off?  for  if  he  were  in  London 
grandmother  would  never  give  us  a  single  day." 

Madame  enjoyed  all  this  charming  appreciation. 
She  was  wise  enough  to  deduct  from  it  the  excess 
springing  from  the  time,  the  circumstances,  and  from 
the  spirit  of  its  givers.  Had  she  been  still  wiser,  she 
would  have  taken  it  with  all  its  sparkling  foam  and 
effervescence.  She  had  four  happy  days,  and  on 
the  morning  of  the  fifth  Bernicia  took  her  back  to 
Bloomsbury.  She  was  really  tired,  and  she  went  at 
once  to  her  room,  but  she  kissed  the  girl  with  an 
unusual  emotion,  and  said  again  with  an  involuntary 
sigh,  "You  are  like  Harry,  my  dear." 

As  it  happened,  George  was  in  the  house ;  in  fact, 
he  had  purposely  remained  at  home  in  order  that  he 
might  go  to  Lady  Pomfret's  and  enquire  for  madame's 
health,  her  prolonged  stay  having  aroused  some  un 
easiness.  He  was  dressed  for  the  visit,  and  awaiting 
only  the  proper  hour  when  a  formal  call  could  be 
made.  When  he  saw  the  Pomfret  coach  at  the  door, 
and  understood  from  the  attitude  of  both  madame 
and  Bernicia  that  all  was  well,  he  suddenly  resolved 
to  have  that  very  morning  from  Bernicia  an  answer 
to  his  suit.  He  did  not  stop  to  argue  the  wisdom  of 
this  resolve  with  himself ;  he  had  come  to  that  point 
where,  sink  or  swim,  wise  or  foolish,  he  would  know 
the  truth,  and  the  whole  truth. 

Very  rarely  indeed  are   such   impulses  wise  ones. 


272  BERNICIA. 

The  power  behind  urging  them  may  generally  be  dis 
trusted  ;  but  George  cared  not,  and  reasoned  not.  "I 
will  make  her  speak;  she  shall  trifle  with  my  life  and 
love  no  longer,"  he  said  almost  angrily.  And  then 
he  went  down  into  the  great  entrance  hall,  and  paced 
its  length  to  and  fro,  watching  for  her  approach. 
She  came  sooner  than  he  expected.  He  saw  her  pass 
the  parlour  door,  a  smile  on  her  face.  It  brightened 
for  a  moment  when  she  saw  him,  and  then  swiftly  dis 
appeared;  but  he  took  her  by  the  hand,  and  led  her 
to  the  state  parlour.  She  made  no  opposition,  for 
she  was  so  busily  thinking  what  she  must  do  that  she 
forgot  altogether  what  George  was  doing,  until  she 
found  herself  within  the  rQpm.  Her  eyes  fell  first  on 
#  large  new  painting  that  occupied  a  wide  space  on 
the  wall  opposite  the  entrance;  and  she  was  glad  of 
the  diversion  it  might  cause. 

"Oh,  cousin,"  she  cried,  "you  have  brought  me  to 
see  the  new  picture!  All  gods  and  goddesses,  are  they 
not?  Very  ugly,  too!  Can  you  imagine  live  women 
with  such  cheeks  and  arms?  And  please  to  look  at 
their  ankles.  I  thank  my  stars  that  I  am  not  a  god 
dess!"  and  "she  put  out  her  daintily  shod  feet  and 
admired  them,  and  stood  on  tiptoe  on  them,  and  made 
George  burn  with  the  joy  of  her  beauty.  He  spoke 
to  her  with  a  singular  tenderness  in  his  voice, 
saying  : 

"Sweet  Bernicia,  I  have  watched  and  longed  for 
this  opportunity,  and  now  that  I  have  found  it  I  vow 
you  shall  hear  and  answer  me.  Do  you  remember 
what  hopes  you  gave  me  that  morning  at  Richmond  ?  " 

"Do  you  remember  what  passed  after  we  parted 
that  morning  in  Richmond?" 


THE    WORD    LISTENED    FOR.  273 

"Do  you  blame  me  for  Lord  Rashleigh's  temper?" 

"No,  indeed,  you  have  your  own  temper!  You 
have  no  necessity  to  get  behind  anyone  else's." 

"That  morning  you  promised  to  give  me  an  answer 
when  you  returned  to  London.  Weeks,  months  have 
passed;  and  you  still  keep  me  in  misery.  .Sit  down, 
and  let  me  talk  to  you." 

"There  is  no  help  for  it;  since  you  vow,  I  shall." 

"You  spoke  frankly  then;  you  said  you  disliked  the 
thought  of  marrying  a  man  who  was  in  trade,  and 
who  was  a  Dissenter.  You  feared  your  friends  would 
cease  to  know  you,  and  you  confessed  you  were  made 
happy  or  unhappy  by  what  people  said  to  you  and  of 
you." 

"Indeed,  I  have  not  changed  my  ideas  at  all.  I 
feel  now  as  I  did  then,  even  more  so." 

"Then  let  me  tell  you  that  I  have  found  a  way  to 
avoid  this  trouble ;  to  put  it  out  of  existence.  There 
is  across  the  Atlantic  a  great  and  beautiful  city,  where 
trade  is  honourable,  and  where  no  form  of  religion 
either  adds  to  or  takes  from  a  man's  social  standing. 
The  king  has  his  representative  there;  a  little  court  of 
lords  and  ladies  and  officers  surround  him ;  there  is 
no  lack  of  all  the  elegances  and  refinements  of  life, 
and  the  climate  is  heavenly.  I  will  go  there  and 
found  a  great  business.  I  will  build  you  the  most 
splendid  house  in  America.  I  will  give  you  every 
thing  you  desire.  I  will  love  you  with  all  my  soul, 
and  watch  over  your  happiness  continually  until  the 
end  of  my  life.  Will  you  go  with  me?  If  you  love 
me,  you  will  go." 

"Am  I  to  leave  my  brother  and  sister  and  grand 
mother?  Am  I  to  cross  the  great  ocean,  and  go  to  a 


274  BERNICIA. 

strange  country,  and  live  among  strange  people  and 
strange  customs?" 

"If  you  love  me,  I  shall  be  sufficient." 

"Do  you  wish  me  to  worship  in  your  meeting 
house,  or  may  I  go,  as  I  now  do,  to  the  Church  of 
England?" 

"My  God  will  be  your  God,  and  my  Church  your 
Church.  I  have  many  serious  objections  to  Episco- 
pacy." 

"Yes,  I  understand.  Now,  George,  suppose  you 
build  or  buy  a  fine  house  in  London.  Are  you  as  rich 
as  Augustus  Hutton?" 

"I  trust  I  should  have  a  good  balance  in  my  favour, 
if  I  put  down  guinea  for  guinea  with  Augustus." 

"Then  why  not  give  up  business  altogether  as 
Augustus  has  done.  Why  not  become  a  man  of 
fashion  and  a  Churchman?  We  could  travel  and  see 
world,  and  as  your  sister  has  married  a  nobleman,  if 
we  entertained  generously  when  we  returned,  people 
would  forget  that  you  had  been  a  trader  in  hemp  and 
flax  and  such  things,  and  had  gone  to  the  Silver  Street 
Meetinghouse." 

"My  dearest,  you  propose  impossibilities.  I  can 
not  give  up  such  a  business  as  I  now  have ;  it  would 
be  wicked.  I  have  none  of  the  tastes  necessary  to 
a  man  of  fashion.  Augustus  is  fit  for  little  else.  And 
as  for  becoming  a  Churchman,  it  is  beyond  my  nature. 
Dissent  is  in  my  very  blood,  it  beats  with  my  heart. 
I  could  not  become  a  Churchman.  It  would  be  the 
rankest  hypocrisy." 

"Sir!"  she  answered,  with  a  scorn  that  no  words 
could  interpret.  "Sir!  you  are  self -convicted.  If 
you  will  not  resign  either  your  business  or  your 


THE    WORD    LISTENED    FOR.  275 

Church  for  my  sake,  why  should  I  give  up  my  country, 
my  friends,  and  my  Church  for  your  sake?  Your 
selfishness  is  without  parallel  and  without  excuse. 
Love  me,  indeed !  You  love  only  yourself,  your  busi 
ness,  your  prejudices.  I  wish  you  to  understand,  I 
will  be  no  appendage  to  them.  You  shall  not  crumble 
my  life,  and  my  faith,  and  my  tastes,  and  my  happi 
ness  as  sauce  to  your  own.  You  are  a  curiosity  of 
selfishness.  And  you  call  yourself  a  lover!  Upon 
my  word,  you  ought  to  be  put  into  a  book !  Do  not 
touch  me.  No,  sir,  I  will  not  be  detained!  I  have  seen 
to  the  bottom  of  your  heart,  and  'tis  a  very  sordid 
and  selfish  one.  Thank  Heaven!  I  have  not  given 
a  good  honest  one  in  exchange  for  it.  I  bless  myself 
that  I  can  still  say  my  heart  is  my  own." 

"Bernicia!  Bernicia!  You  misunderstand  me.'* 
"Not  at  all,  sir.  However  you  may  cloak  your 
demands,  they  are  plain  enough  to  me.  You  might  as 
well  say,  'I  expect  you  to  give  up  everything  for  me,  and 
I  will  give  up  nothing  for  you.'  Yet  my  position  in 
the  world  is  all  to  me  that  yourbus  iness  is  to  you.  It 
would  be  just  as  wicked  in  me  to  give  it  up.  If  you 
have  none  of  the  tastes  of  people  of  fashion,  I  have 
none  of  the  tastes  of  Dissenters  and  traders.  As  for 
Episcopacy,  it  is  in  my  blood  and  beats  with  my  heart. 
I  could  not  become  a  Dissenter.  It  would  be  the 
rankest  hypocrisy." 

She  was  splendid  in  her  scorn  and  anger,  and  he 
was  cowed,  like  a  child  that  is  struck,  by  the  justice  of 
her  reproof.  But  it. was  only  for  a  moment.  Ere  she 
could  reach  the  door  he  had  laid  his  hand  upon  her, 
and  in  tones  of  passionate  sorrow  was  entreating  her 
attention,  her  patience,  her  forgiveness.  She  listened 


276  BERNICIA. 

with  no  sympathy,  for  she  was  deeply  offended  by  his 
proposal.  But  George  believed  that  she  loved  him. 
He  knew  so  little  of  women  that  he  thought  her 
moments  of  tenderness  were  indications  of  a  perma 
nent  condition,  rather  than  of  a  transient  mood.  She 
had  so  often  been  angry,  only  to  smile  the  sweeter 
afterward,  that  he  refused  to  consider  her  present 
passion  as  real.  And  he  had  come  to  a  fixed 
determination  to  put  an  end  to  such  a  tantalising 
relationship.  She  must  then  and  there  acknowledge 
her  love,  and  pledge  him  her  troth,  or  he  must  suffer 
her  to  pass  out  of  his  life  forever. 

In  eager,  eloquent  words  he  told  her  these  things, 
emphasising  them  with  the  most  endearing  epithets, 
and  the  strongest  determination  that  she  should  listen 
and  answer.  He  took  her  hands  and  held  them 
firmly;  he  compelled  her  to  look  at  him ;  to  see  and 
to  feel  the  overmastering  love  which  radiated  from 
his  whole  being  and  fired  his  tongue.  And  in  some 
measure  she  was  moved.  His  beauty,  his  grace,  his 
authority  of  manner,  his  passion  of  entreaty,  would 
have  caused  her  to  make  some  concession,  some 
show  of  liking,  but  for  the  words  he  had  so  unad 
visedly  spoken.  She  felt  keenly  their  selfishness,  their 
injustice,  the  domestic  tyranny  they  might  include; 
and  with  a  comparative  resentment,  his  impatience 
also  affected  her  unfavourably.  But  this  impatience 
rose  from  George's  fixed -idea,  and  he  could  not 
escape  from  his  own  determination.  She  must  accept 
him  as  her  husband,  now,  or  release  him  forever; 
and  he  ended  his  pleading  with  this  strong  but  blunt 
avowal: 

"It   is   therefore,     dearest,    a   question   you   must 


THE    WORD    LISTENED    FOR.  277 

answer  without  put-off,  and  without  equivocation. 
You  must  say  'yes'  or  'no.'  Believe,  Bernicia, 
though  I  love  you  to  distraction,  it  is  really  now — or 
— never  !  ' ' 

"Then,  sir,"  she  answered,  with  deliberation,  with 
her  eyes  fixed  on  his  eyes,  with  her  whole  attitude 
expressive  of  conscious  decision,  "then,  sir,  it  is 
never!  It  is  never,  never,  never!" 

She  passed  out  of  the  room  as  she  said  the  last  word, 
and  he  followed  her,  dazed,  silent,  with  a  slow,  drag 
ging  step  like  a  man  physically  wounded.  The  heavy 
front  door  was  beyond  the  strength  of  her  small  hands; 
he  went  forward  and  opened  it,  and  then  followed  her 
to  her  coach.  She  took  no  notice  of  his  attention, 
but  as  she  was  driven  away,  his  tall,  straight  figure 
and  his  white,  pained  face  as  he  stood  before  her  bare 
headed,  gave  her  a  sting  of  remorseful  pain.  "But  it 
is  all  his  own  fault."  She  said  the  words  aloud  to 
her  inner  self,  as  if  she  would  the  more  forcibly  assure 
that  not  easily  deceived  personality. 

It  was  raining  when  she  left  Bloomsbury;  it  was 
raining  hard  when  she  reached  home.  "The  elements 
are  in  a  temper  to  suit  my  own,"  she  muttered. 
"What  a  dreary  thing  is  life!  And  never  a  trouble 
but  a  man  in  it  somewhere.  But  for  George  Abney  I 
should  have  missed  the  rain;  now,  as  like  as  not,  I 
shall  utterly  spoil  my  new  petticoat  on  the  wet  steps." 

Lady  Pomfret  was  reading  a  novel  when  she 
returned.  She  laid  it  down  when  Bernicia  entered. 
"I  am  glad  to  see  you,  child,"  she  said.  "Why, 
then,  what  is  the  matter?" 

"George  Abney  has  been  impatient  and  impertinent, 
and  I  have  told  him  this  morning  I  would  never, 


278  BERNICIA. 

never  marry  him.  I  ought  to  have  said  so  a  long 
time  ago." 

"So  much  for  that  affair!  I  am  glad  it  is  done 
with.  But  as  you  have  now  managed  to  get  off  with 
both  your  old  loves,  it  is  to  be  hoped  you  will  be 
speedily  on  with  one  of  your  new  ones.  Whom  do 
you  like  best?" 

"I  am  not  so  unjust  as  to  be  partial.  They  are  all 
alike  to  me." 

"I  must  tell  you  that  Harry  has  sent  us  a  letter. 
It  is  quite  honeymoonish,  I  assure  you." 

"Grandmother  has  talked  so  much  of  Harry!  Let 
us  dismiss  him  for  a  little.  I  am  tired  of  Harry." 

"George— 

"Is  not  to  be  spoken  of  at  all.  He  wanted  me  to 
go  to  Amercia,  to  give  up  all  my  friends,  my  Church, 
my  tastes,  my  opinions,  and  to  consider  him  as  a  full 
equivalent." 

"The  wretch!  I  hope  you  gave  him  some  sharp 
words." 

"I  am  not  in  debt  to  myself,  Fanny.  A  store  of 
disagreeable  things  came  into  my  head,  and  they 
naturally  slipped  off  my  tongue.  George  has  evidently 
been  watching  me;  he  had  the  names  and  number  of 
my  lovers  at  his  finger  ends,  and  his  'now  or  never' 
this  morning  was  all  jealousy,  proud  jealousy,  and 
burning  envy.  Let  us  talk  no  more  of  him.  He  says 
indeed  he  will  talk  no  more  to  me.5' 

"La,  my  dear!  I  have  known  better  men  than 
George  Abney  to  lie." 

Bernicia,  however,  was  little  inclined  to  follow  her 
own  expressed  desire.  She  could  not  avoid  speaking 
of  George.  She  slipped  into  the  subject  very  fre- 


THE    WORD    LISTENED    FOR.  279 

quently  with  her  sister.  She  talked  continually  of  it 
when  she  was  alone  with  Tarset. 

Tarset  said  the  conclusion  was  what  she  looked  for. 
"You  never  loved  the  man,  miss,  for  when  we  love 
truly,  we  not  only  say  it,  we  show  it.  You  never 
showed  it." 

"I  shall  never  be  in  love,  Tarset.  Men  are  such 
disappointments." 

"Your  love  hour  will  strike,  miss.  There  is  some 
one  somewhere  that  you  won't  be  able  to  love  too 
much.  Look  at  your  face.  To  be  born  a  beauty  is 
to  be  born  bespoke." 

Still  Bernicia  could  not  throw  off  the  unhappy  feel 
ing  of  her  last  interview  with  her  lover.  The  April 
days  were  full  of  memories  of  him,  and  with  all 
George's  faults,  he  had  charmed  her  as  none  of 
her  present  lovers  could.  She  was  so  dissatisfied 
and  depressed  that  Lady  Pomfret  said  pettishly  one 
afternoon,  when  Bernicia  refused  to  go  shopping 
with  her: 

"I  trust,  in  Heaven's  mercy,  we  are  not  to  have  over 
again  your  love  temper  for  Lord  Rashleigh!  You 
fretted  and  worried  after  him  for  two  long  months." 

"I  never  did,  Fanny  !     Never!" 

"Oh,  indeed,  miss,  you  could  not  deceive  me.  I 
knew  the  meaning  of  your  sighs  and  sadness,  of  your 
sudden  hatred  of  lovers  and  dances,  of  your  dinners 
set  aside,  and  your  dress  uncared  for.  It  took  you 
two  months  to  say  'farewell  forever'  to  Lord  Rash 
leigh.  For  pity's  sake,  make  your  good-by  to 
George  Abney  less  disagreeable." 

"It  is  a  shame,  Fanny." 

"It  is  the  truth,  Bernicia."     And   Fanny  went  out 


280  BERNICIA. 

alone  to  do  her  shopping  in  something  of  a  temper, 
while  Bernicia  went  upstairs  in  another  temper,  to 
worry  Tarset  a  little.  So  the  early  spring  passed,  and 
not  very  happily.  One  little  source  of  discontent 
in  a  house,  even  though  it  be  unspoken,  affects  the 
domestic  atmosphere;  and  though  Bernicia  pretended 
an  unusual  gaiety  of  spirit,  she  was  really  discon 
tented  and  unhappy. 

"I  have  been  a  whole  year  in  the  gay  world,  Tar- 
set,"  she  said  one  day,  as  the  woman  was  brushing 
her  hair,  "and  what  has  it  given  me?  I  am  no  wiser. 
I  am  not  more  happy.  Fanny  says  I  have  thrown  all 
my  good  chances  away.  And  I  am  not  good.  I  want 
to  be  good,  and  the  more  I  try,  the  more  I  fail. 
I  wish  I  could  go  back  to  Cresswell." 

"We  never  get  our  wish  with  wishing  for  it,  miss. 
You  may  wish  for  a  husband,  and  never  get  wed. 
'Tis  better  to  will,  for  if  you  have  the  will,  you  are 
certain  to  find  the  way." 

"When  I  was  last  at  Lady  Huntington's,  Mr.  White- 
field  spoke  to  me  after  the  sermon.  He  said  he  was 
going  to  Scotland  this  summer,  and  would  call  upon 
Harry,  either  as  he  went  or  returned.  Think  of  that! 
Mr.  Whitefield  in  Cresswell  Castle !  Harry  will  make 
the  whole  world  of  him.  I  should  like  to  be  at  Cress- 
well  then.  I  daresay  you  would  like  it  too,  Tarset." 

"It  would  be  nothing  to  me,  Miss  Bernicia.  I  do 
not  approve  of  Mr.  Whitefield.  I  never  did  approve 
of  him.  I  never  shall." 

"I  am  not  very  happy,  Tarset." 

"No  one  ever  is  very  happy,  miss." 

The  assertion  covered  the  ground  of  Bernicia's  dis 
contentment.  She  was  not  quite  happy,  and  she  was 


THE    WORD    LISTENED    FOR.  %  281 

afraid  to  honestly  ask  herself  the  reason  why.  So  the 
old  life  went  ceaselessly  on — riding  in  the  park,  dancing 
in  the  ballroom,  a  little  music,  a  little  play,  a  little 
pretending  to  be  in  love. 

One  afternoon  in  May  Lady  Pomfret  received  a  call 
from  Lady  Orford,  who  had  just  returned  from  a  long 
sojourn  in  various  parts  of  the  Continent.  She  was 
introduced  to  Bernicia,  but  took  little  notice  of  her, 
and  Bernicia  returned  to  her  frame,  and  continued 
working  on  the  rose  she  was  embroidering.  Presently 
Lady  Orford  spoke  of  a  duel  that  had  been  fought 
that  morning.  "I  was  amazed  when  I  heard  of  it," 
she  said,  "for  Mr.  Hope  is  timidity  itself.  I  suppose 
he  was  too  great  a  coward  not  to  fight." 

The  sentiment  pleased  Bernicia,  and  she  said  so, 
and  thereon  followed  a  lively  discussion  as  to  what 
constituted  real  courage.  Lady  Pomfret  said  she 
knew  a  gentleman  who  positively  refused  to  fight  when 
challenged,  because  it  was  against  his  principles,  and 
she  was  sure  he  was  a  brave  man.  Bernicia  laughed 
a  little  and  said,  "that  depended."  Lady  Orford 
continued: 

"I  know  a  truly  brave  man.  I  will  put  him  against 
all  the  heroes  of  the  sword  and  the  pistol  you  can 
name.  What  do  you  think?  He  was  travelling  in 
France  when  I  was  there,  and  about  sixty  miles  from 
Paris,  in  a  lonely  mountain  hamlet,  his  servant  was 
seized  with  malignant  fever.  The  man  required  a 
constant  attention,  and  the  master  sent  to  Paris  for 
the  Sisters  of  Charity,  but  until  they  arrived  what 
was  to  be  done?  It  was  the  black  typhus,  and  no  one, 
for  either  love  or  money,  would  take  charge  of  the 
raving  sufferer.  So  the  master  went  to  his  servant's 


282  BERNICIA. 

side,  he  bathed  his  burning  flesh,  he  moistened  con 
tinually  his  swollen  tongue,  he  performed  for  him  all 
that  his  dreadful  necessities  required.  And  when 
death  ended  the  ordeal,  he  alone  of  all  the  village 
dared  to  go  with  the  body  to  the  grave.  I  say,  rever 
ently,  the  man  was  a  hero;  he,  if  you  please,  was  a 
brave  man,  if  there  ever  was  one." 

Bernicia  had  dropped  her  needle ;  she  was  aflame 
with  admiration.  '  'I  wish  that  I  knew  his  name,"  she 
cried.  "It  ought  to  be  written  in  gold." 

'  'I  hope  it  was  an  Englishman,"  said  Lady  Pomfret. 
"But  English  or  not,  the  man  had  the  courage  of  a 
noble  soul." 

"He  thought  little  of  his  deed,  and  did  not  like  it 
spoken  of.  He  said  his  servant  would  have  done  the 
same  kindness  to  him.  If  so,  we  are  a  nation  of 
heroes." 

"He  was  English,  then!" 

"I  think  that  he  is  well  known  to  you.  It  was 
Lord  Francis  Rashleigh." 

Bernicia  uttered  an  exclamation  and  sank  into  her 
chair;  glad  that  her  sister's  effusiveness  hid  her  own 
uncontrollable  emotion.  She  stooped  over  her  frame 
and  pretended  to  have  dropped  her  worsteds,  and 
under  this  cover  managed  to  leave  the  room  without 
betraying  her  feelings.  But  she  was  profoundly 
moved  and  greatly  astonished.  Nothing  in  all  her 
knowledge  of  Lord  Rashleigh  could  have  led  her  to 
imagine  him  in  the  character  which  Lady  Orford  had 
drawn  so  vividly,  nothing,  unless  it  was  his  evident 
admiration  for  Mr.  Whitefield  and  his  frequent  attend 
ance  at  Lady  Huntington's  Sunday  night  service. 

She  considered  this  fact,  and  came  to  the  conclu- 


THE    WORD    LISTENED    FOR.  283 

sion  that  Mr.  Whitefield's  pictures  of  Christ  among 
the  sick  and  suffering  had  been  the  inspiring  motive 
and  the  supernatural  strength  which  had  helped  him 
to  fulfil  the  dreadful  and  dangerous  duty. 

And  then  she  was  strangely  solemn  and  sad.  She 
also  had  listened  to  those  eloquent  Christ  sermons, 
and  what  had  they  done  for  her?  She  looked  timor 
ously  at  Tarset,  and  wondered  if  she  could,  for  Christ's 
sake,  have  fulfilled  the  same  duty  toward  her  servant. 

And  after  a  day  or  two  she  told  Tarset  the  inci 
dent,  and  the  woman  wept  a  little,  but  did  not  praise 
Lord  Rashleigh,  a  thing  Bernicia  had  certainly  ex 
pected  her  to  do. 

"It  would  be  the  Lord's  mercy  to  the  dying  man," 
she  said  gently;  "'tis  few  he  leaves  to  die  without 
some  human  kindness,  and  if  they  have  to  go  alone, 
he  comforts  them  himself.  He  says  so,  miss." 

"I  have  been  asking  my  heart,  Tarset,  if  I  could 
have  done  what  Lord  Rashleigh  did.  If  I  am  honest, 
I  must  say  I  could  not." 

"But  you  need  not  be  out  of  heart  about  the  duty 
that  has  not  yet  come  to  you,  miss.  If  it  were  here  to 
do,  I'll  warrant  you  would  have  the  grace  and  the 
strength  of  the  hour  given  you,  and  if  it  were  to  save 
life,  or  to  ease  death,  you  would  push  all  lengths 
about  it.  I  would  trust  myself  to  you,  no  matter  how 
far  gone  I  was." 

This  confidence  pleased  Bernicia,  and  the  event  was 
very  pleasantly  present  in  her  mind.  Wherever  she 
went,  she  spoke  of  it,  and  was  often  rather  shocked  to 
hear  the  comments  it  provoked.  A  few  said  "Lord 
Rashleigh  was  the  right  kind  of  hero"  ;  more  thought 
it  recklessness;  some  blamed  him  for  "running  the 


284  BERNICIA. 

risk  of  carrying  the  dreadful  fever  among  distinguished 
people" — "It  was  a  singular  step,  and  he  had  no  right 
to  take  it" — "It  was  quite  uncalled  for' ' — "What  could 
he  have  been  thinking  of?" — "Very  imprudent,"  and 
so  on.  Not  many  praised  the  nobleman  as  Lady 
Orford  had  done,  and  many  disapproved  altogether  of 
a  social  departure  so  destructive  of  the  most  necessary 
social  barriers. 

So  Bernicia  was  constantly  employed  in  defending 
Lord  Rashleigh,  and  she  did  not  find  the  business  disa 
greeable.  But  she  was  led  by  it  to  wonder'  where  her 
old  lover  was,  and  when  Lady  Orford  had  seen  him, 
and  whether  he  had  any  intentions  of  coming  back  to 
England.  She  propounded  these  questions  first  to  her 
sister  Fanny,  but  Fanny  said  "she  had  not  asked  any 
such  information,"  and  she  affected  no  concern  about 
the  subject.  "It  was  a  brave  little  story,"  she  said, 
"and  that  was  all  there  was  about  it."  For  she  per 
ceived  Bernicia' s  renewed  interest,  and  was  not  dis 
posed  to  satisfy  her  curiosity.  "It  will  help  her  to 
understand  herself,"  she  remarked  to  Lord  Pomfret, 
"and  I  am  not  sorry  if  she  has  a  heartache  for  a  day 
or  two  on  the  matter.  And  I  advise  you  to  pooh, 
pooh!  the  whole  thing,  or  we  shall  have  another 
attack  of  the  Rashleigh  fever." 

"Then  she  might  marry  him,  if  he  had  the  luck  to 
ask  her  at  the  right  hour." 

"It  is  no  longer  desirable,  John.  When  a  man 
becomes  a  saint,  and  goes  gypsying  all  over  the  world, 
he  is  not  likely  to  make  a  good  husband.  If  Rash 
leigh  would  return  home,  and  take  a  place  in  the 
treasury,  or  his  seat  in  the  House,  or  even  travel  on 
His  Majesty's  business,  such  a  marriage  might  be 


THE    WORD    LISTENED    FOR.  285 

feasible.  But  Bernicia  is  now  very  complacent  to 
that  handsome  young  Campbell.  He  is  heir  to  an 
earldom,  and  I  confess  that  I  think  better  of  this  lover 
than  of  all  others." 

"He  is  Scotch." 

"'Tis  true.  But  all  men  cannot  be  English,  John. 
You  would  not  wish  it.  The  world  would  be  too 
small  for  them.  Here  comes  Campbell  and  Bernicia! 
See  how  beautifully  they  ride !  I  am  sure  there  has 
not  been  in  the  park  this  morning,  nor  this  year,  nor 
the  last  ten  years,  so  handsome  a  couple." 

Bernicia  came  in  glowing  with  her  gallop,  and  full 
of  the  joy  of  youth  and  springtime,  and  Lord  Pomfret 
made  her  many  pretty  compliments,  which  she  merrily 
returned.  Then  Lady  Pomfret  urged  her  to  dress  for 
the  carriage  and  go  with  her  to  make  some  visits. 

"If  you  will  call  on  Lady  Orford  I  shall  go  with 
you,"  she  answered;  "for  I  am  dying  to  know  what 
has  become  or  Lord  Rashleigh.  He  is  as  much  lost 
as  a  stone  dropped  in  the  sea." 

"He  has  gone  to  the  American  colonies,"  said  Lord 
Pomfret. 

"Which  report  I  do  not  believe,  sir!"  answered 
Bernicia. 

"To  shoot  elk,  I  hear,"  he  continued.  "He  will 
marry  a  brown  princess,  and  buy  a  principality,  and 
forget  all  about  Rashleigh  Court  and  England. 
Rashleigh  is  a  queer  fellow.  You  never  know  where 
you  have  Rashleigh.  He  is  bad,  he  is  good;  he  is 
here,  he  is  there ;  he  is  one  day  this,  and  the  next  day 
that;  he  is  anything  and  everything;  that  is  Rashleigh 
— a  good  enough  fellow  for  men,  a  dangerous  fellow 
indeed  for  women." 


286  BERNICIA. 

"He  is  not  half  so  bad,  half  so  dangerous  as  you 
are,  brother,"  and  with  this  laughing  impeachment, 
and  a  promise  to  her  sister  of  a  speedy  return,  she 
vanished. 

Then  the  visit  to  Lady  Orford  was  made,  but  noth 
ing  was  gained  by  it"  Plainly  questioned,  Lady 
Orford  said  she  knew  nothing  of  Lord  Rashleigh's 
intentions.  She  believed  he  had  been  visiting  a  Ger 
man  noble,  and  hunting  in  the  Black  Forest ;  but  the 
incident  she  had  related  happened  not  so  far  from 
Paris;  and  he  might  have  been  on  his  way  to  some 
seaport  for  India  or  America,  or  even  home  again  by 
the  longest  way  round,  which  was  very  likely  to  be 
Francis  Rashleigh's  way. 

Bernicia  took  this  information  with  apparent 
gaiety,  not  even  her  clever  sister  suspecting  her  dis 
appointment.  She  chatted  of  Colonel  Campbell,  of 
the  riding  in  the  park,  of  the  fashions  for  the  coming 
season,  of  all  the  little  incidents  growing  out  of  half  a 
dozen  calls,  with  an  apparently  light  heart,  and  with 
an  unflagging  interest. 

So  they  spent  the  afternoon,  and  when  they 
returned  home  they  found  Madame  Bouverie  lying  fast 
asleep  on  a  sofa  in  Fanny's  parlour.  For  a  moment 
they  stood  at  the  door,  looking  at  the  placid  face,  but 
the  picture  was  swiftly  gone,  for  madame  awoke  with 
a  smile  almost  as  they  entered,  and  Fanny  and 
Bernicia  kissed  her  eyes  wide  open,  and  helped  her  to 
rise  and  to  smooth  out  the  least  little  crease  or  crinkle 
in  her  dress  and  headdress. 

"Do  you  wonder  what  has  brought  me  so  far,  my 
dears?  Let  me  tell  you,  it  is  something  very  extraor 
dinary!"  she  exclaimed. 


THE    WORD    LISTENED    FOR.  287 

"Is  uncle  going  to  be  married?"  said  Fanny. 

Madame  shook  her  head. 

"Is  George  going  to  be  married?"  asked  Bernicia. 

Madame  shook  her  head  still  more  positively. 
"Guess  once  more." 

"It  must  then  be  Claire.  Is  all  well  with  Claire 
and  Harry?" 

"I  am  going  to  see  Harry!" 

She  said  the  words  separately,  and  there  was  a  ring 
of  music  in  them.  "I  am  going  to  see  Harry.  Your 
Uncle  William  is  going,  and  Mr.  Hutton,"  and  then 
she  turned  to  Bernicia  and  asked:  "Will  you  go  with 
me,  Bernicia?  I  wish  that  you  would." 

"Indeed,  grandmother,  it  will  be  a  great  pleasure  to 
me;  and  Tarset  will  fly  out  of  her  skin  with  delight. 
When  shall  we  go?  In  a  week  or  two?" 

"In  three  days.     Can  you  be  ready?" 

"There  is  no  doubt  of  it." 

"But  I  do  not  understand,"  said  Lady  Pomfret. 
"Why  are  you  going,  grandmother?  Why  is  Mr. 
Hutton  going?  And  Uncle  William?  Is  there  any 
trouble?" 

"There  is  no  trouble.  Last  night  my  son  said  to 
me:  'Mother,  Mr.  Hutton  and  I  are  going  to  Cress- 
well.  Claire's  business  can  no  longer  be  delayed. 
There  ought  to  have  been  settlements  and  contracts 
before  her  marriage,  and  the  neglect  of  these  things 
has  placed  her  money  in  the  power  of  her  husband. 
We  are  going  now  to  make  the  best  terms  we  can  for 
Claire ;  but  Harry  has  affairs  very  much  in  his  own 
power.'  I  answered, 'Then  they  are  well  settled,  for 
Harry  Cresswell  will  do  only  the  thing  that  is  right, 
and  I  wish  most  sincerely  that  I  was  going  with  you.' 


288  BERNIC1A. 

I  did  not  think  when  the  words  came  from  my  heart 
that  such  a  thing  was  possible,  but  your  uncle  has 
persuaded  me  that  my  wish  is  not  only  possible  but 
the  very  best  and  pleasantest  thing  that  I  can  do  for 
everyone.'* 

"But  how,  grandmother?  It  was  a  hard  journey, 
even  for  Bernicia,"  said  Lady  Pomfret. 

"I  had  such  wretched  company,"  answered  Ber 
nicia.  "And  it  was  in  the  early  spring,  when  the 
roads  were  strangled  in  mud  or  snow.  Now  'tis 
June  and  all  England  is  beautiful.  How  are  we  to 
go,  grandmother?" 

"You  and  I  and  our  women  will  fill  my  son's  best 
coach.  The  driver  and  another  man  will  be  outside, 
and  Mr.  Hutton  and  your  uncle  will  ride  on  each 
side  of  the  coach.  All  the  men  will  be  well  armed, 
and  a  servant  goes  before  us,  to  order  rooms  and 
meals  and  look  after  post  horses.  We  shall  take  all 
the  time  we  need  to  see  what  we  wish  to  see.  We 
shall  rest  when  I  am  weary  and  we  shall  not  travel  on 
the  Lord's  Day.  Your  uncle  is  very  happy  with  the 
thought  of  giving  me  such  a  grand  holiday.  Chil 
dren,  I  have  never  been  twenty  miles  outside  of 
London." 

There  were  tears  in  her  eyes,  that  were  not  bred  of 
sorrow.  Her  cheeks  were  flushed  with  anticipation. 
She  talked  excitedly  of  Harry,  of  the  towns  she  would 
pass  through,  of  the  strange  places  she  would  see,  and 
no  young  girl  could  have  been  more  hopeful  and 
enthusiastic. 

Three  days  seemed  but  a  little  time,  but  when  the 
heart  goes  with  the  hands,  a  great  deal  can  be  done 
in  three  days.  It  was  then  Monday  afternoon,  and 


THE    WORD    LISTENED    FOR.  289 

Bernicia  was  to  be  at  Bloomsbury,  fully  prepared  for 
the  journey,  on  Thursday  evening;  and  the  party 
would  leave  there  early  on  Friday  morning.  Fanny 
could  hardly  realise  the  change.  Bernicia  had  be 
come  so  dear  to  her,  so  much  a  part  of  her  life,  her 
plans,  her  hopes,  that  her  sudden  withdrawal  was  a 
shock.  Everything  now  seemed  empty  to  Fanny; 
she  could  not  imagine  how  to  pass  the  time  without 
her. 

"Why  not  go  to  Yorkshire?"  asked  Bernicia. 
"Lord  Pomfret  has  a  handsome  place  there;  surely 
you  ought  to  visit  it  sometimes." 

"My  dear,  it  is  a  thousand  miles  from  everywhere. 
It  is  unendurably  lonely.  I  had  enough  of  the  country 
in  Richmond  last  summer.  Fresh  air  gives  me  the 
vapours.  I  shall  stay  in  London  and  worry  John,  and 
grumble  at  everything  until  you  return.  When  will 
that  be?" 

"When  grandmother  returns.  She  will  make  Harry 
bring  her  back  before  the  winter,  for  she  is  resolved 
he  shall  have  a  house  in  London  and  pass  the  winters 
near  her." 

"I  am  glad  of  it.  Then,  if  you  do  not  cross  your 
destiny  you  may  marry  Leslie  Campbell,  and  live  in 
Campbell  House,  and  I  shall  be  happily  employed  in 
looking  after  both  of  you." 

"Grandmother  has  the  same  intentions.  So  then 
Harry  and  I  ought  to  be  well  cared  for." 

"But  oh,  Bernicia,  my  dear  little  sister,  I  have  a 
heartache  to  part  with  you." 

"'Tis  but  for  a  few  weeks.  They  will  pass  like  a 
dream." 

"And  when  you  return,  you  will  have  so  much  to 


290  BERNICIA. 

tell  me.  I  like  to  hear  about  newly  married  people, 
and  Harry  and  Claire's  tiffs  and  tribulations  will  be 
particularly  interesting." 

"Do  you  believe  they  will  have  any  tiffs  and  tribula 
tions?" 

"Do  you  think  two  lives  are  made  one  without  a 
good  deal  of  pressure  of  some  kind  or  other?  Lord 
John  had  to  bear  a  good  many  tiffs  before  he  got  into 
his  proper  place.  And  never  doubt  me,  the  little 
saint,  Claire,  has  a  will  that  matches  Harry's  very 
completely.  I  think,  indeed,  that  I  would  rather  stake 
on  Claire  than  on  Harry.  But  I  shall  be  glad  to 
know  how  the  battle  goes  and  I  hope  Harry  will  win 
it,  for  I  think  a  woman  that  does  not  obey  her  lord 
a  most  disagreeable  creature,"  and  Fanny  laughed 
and  looked  at  Bernicia,  and  when  Bernicia  would 
have  spoken  she  added:  "lam  not  in  the  question 
at  all.  I  am  the  exception,  my  dear,  and  nobody 
knows  it." 

For  once  the  anticipation  of  a  pleasure  did  not 
exceed  the  reality.  All  that  madame  and  Bernicia 
had  hoped  from  their  leisurely,  comfortable  trip,  they 
enjoyed  to  the  full.  The  weather  was  charming,  the 
roads  in  good  condition;  and  the  whole  party  in  ex 
cellent  health  and  spirits.  Mr.  Hutton  knew  the  name 
of  every  nobleman's  seat  they  passed,  and  he  generally 
had  an  anecdote  to  tell  of  them,  which  in  some  way 
included  his  son.  William  Bouverie  was  happy  in  his 
mother's  childlike  delight,  and  in  Bernicia's  pleasant 
chattering  and  unfeigned  high  spirits.  And  thus, 
through  the  length  of  England,  by  old  historic  cities 
and  lovely  hamlets,  slowly  but  happily,  they  came  to 
Cresswell  Castle.  They  had  stayed  the  last  night  of 


THE    WORD    LISTENED    FOR.  29  T 

their  journey  at  Yettington,  and  about  noon  the  next 
day  came  in  sight  of  the  castle;  its  gray,  massive 
strength  spreading  for  nearly  a  hundred  feet  across 
the  green  hill  in  front  of  them.  The  June  sunshine 
was  over  all  its  faxpade  and  turrets,  and  the  Cresswell 
standard  floated  proudly  from  the  central  tower. 

Harry  and  Claire  had  been  apprised  of  their  ap 
proach,  and  were  watching  for  them;  and  for  the  next 
two  weeks  there  was  such  splendid  entertaining,  such 
exhibition  of  North  Country  games,  such  mounting  and 
riding  and  racing,  such  trout  fishing  in  bosky  glens, 
such  happy  picnicing  lunches  between  morning  and 
afternoon  catches,  such  evenings  of  conversation  and 
wild  Border  music  and  song,  as  Cresswell  had  never 
before  seen,  even  in  the  proudest  days  of  its  past  his 
tory,  and  as  William  Bouverie  and  his  friend  had  never 
dreamed  of,  but  which  they  both  thoroughly  enjoyed. 
For  the  business  which  had  brought  them  to  Cresswell 
was  satisfactorily  decided.  Harry  proved  himself 
generous  and  Claire's  guardians  had  only  to  look 
around  them  to  see  that  he  was  prudent  and  well  able 
to  keep  and  improve  the  estate  of  which  he  was  lord 
and  master.  So  William  Bouverie  went  back  to 
London  satisfied  that  Claire's  heart  had  chosen  wisely 
for  her,  and  Mr.  Hutton  was  never  weary  of  informing 
everyone  he  spoke  to,  that  he  had  been  on  a  visit  to 
Sir  Harry  Cresswell  at  Cresswell  Castle,  Northumber 
land  ;  and  what  he  saw  there,  and  what  he  did  there 
furnished  him  with  conversation  for  the  future,  in  all 
companies  and  under  all  circumstances. 

As  for  madame,  she  was  happier  than  she  had  ever 
been  in  her  whole  life.  Her  nature,  naturally  noble, 
expanded  with  the  freedom  of  her  new  experience. 


292  BERNICIA. 

The  mountains,  the  great  silent  moors,  the  music  of 
the  running  streams,  the  natural  song  of  birds,  the 
tangled  sweetness  of  the  large  garden,  the  wealth  of 
its  berries  and  fruits,  the  murmur  of  its  colony  of  bees 
in  their  straw  skeps  above  the  lavender  beds — all  these 
things  were  as  fresh  to  her  as  to  a  child;  and  she  was 
old  enough  to  have  found  again  her  child's  heart,  and 
to  enjoy  them  with  a  natural  simplicity  and  single- 
mindedness.  Then,  beside,  there  was  the  joy  of 
Harry's  constant  presence ;  the  joy  of  watching  him 
in  his  proper  position;  the  satisfaction  of  remember 
ing  the  part  she  had  taken  toward  restoring  him 
to  it;  and  the  pride  and  pleasure  she  experienced 
in  his  affectionate  respect  for  her  person,  and 
in  his  pronounced  deference  to  her  opinions  and 
wishes. 

But  madame's  glad  and  joyful  contentment  was  not 
entirely  shared  by  Bernicia.  Cresswell  had  in  some 
measure  disappointed  her,  and  she  did  not  find  life 
there  as  delightful  as  she  expected  to  find  it.  The 
castle  in  its  central  portion  had  been  restored  and 
refurnished  with  the  utmost  splendour,  and  there  were 
men  at  work  on  the  outer  wings  and  turrets,  under 
the  personal  direction  of  Harry  and  Claire.  But 
when  the  admiration  for  the  new  wore  off,  then 
Bernicia  regretted  the  old.  She  found  among  the 
cottages  her  mother's  worn  and  frayed  armchair,  and 
she  bought  it,  and  had  it  taken  to  her  newly  furnished 
chamber,  and  Tarset  mended  and  polished  it,  drop 
ping  tears  upon  her  work,  and  talking  the  while  to 
Bernicia  of  the  days  that  were  gone  forever. 

The  new  lady  of  Cresswell  was  not  like  the  last  lady. 
She  had  been  accepted,  but  she  had  not  yet  reached 


THE    WORD    LISTENED    FOR.  293 

the  heart  of  any  of  her  servants  or  tenants.  And 
Bernicia  was  keenly  conscious  of  that  change  which 
invariably  separates  the  very  friends  of  girlhood, 
when  one  of  them  marries.  She  had  never  in  London 
found  it  difficult  to  spend  whole  days  with  Claire; 
they  had  always  plenty  to  talk  about.  Now  there  was 
no  confidence  between  them,  for  Claire's  affairs  were 
Harry's  affairs,  and  she  guarded  all  about  Harry  with 
an  honour  that  was  slightly  tinged  with  jealousy.  She 
liked  to  think  there  were  circumstances  and  intentions 
which  none  but  herself  shared  with  her  husband.  She 
was  a  little  piqued  at  Harry's  frankness  with  his 
grandmother  and  sister ;  if  they  were  to  be  made  free 
of  her  life,  she  wanted  to  be  herself  the  donor  of  the 
grace — it  was  less  pleasant  to  feel  that  they  expected 
it,  as  Harry's  kindred. 

So  there  was  often  little  unexpressed  coldnesses 
which  Bernicia  felt,  without  having  any  apparent  rea 
son  for  complaint.  And  perhaps  she  had  less  reason 
than  she  imagined;  for  it  was  natural  that  Claire 
should  be  reticent  about  her  married  life;  it  was 
necessary  .she  should  assume  the  dignity  of  her  posi 
tion;  and,  as  she  was  eminently  one  of  those  women 
who  feel  it  a  duty  to  look  well  to  the  ways  of  her 
household,  it  followed  that  she  had  little  time  for  the 
petty  frivolities  and  speculations  in  which  she  had 
once  passed  so  many  hours  with  her  friend. 

But  Bernicia  took  none  of  these  things  into  her 
consideration.  Claire  had  always  been  eager  to  talk 
to  her  about  Harry  when  Harry  was  her  lover;  why 
was  she  so  averse  to  speak  of  Harry  when  he  was  her 
husband?  Before  her  marriage  she  had  deferred  con 
stantly  to  her  friend's  superior  knowledge,  and  had  ad- 


294  BERNICIA. 

mired  and  imitated  her;  why,  then,  as  Lady  Cress- 
well,  did  she  hold  herself  with  such  reticent  dignity 
that  Bernicia  found  it  very  difficult  to  advise  her 
in  any  matter?  If  she  did  so,  Claire  was  sure  to 
reply,  "I  will  consult  Harry.  He  will  know  what  is 
best  to  be  done."  As  for  her  small  importances  in 
her  new  position  as  mistress  of  a  great  household,  they 
irritated  Bernicia.  She  remembered  her  mother's 
easy  indifference  to  the  matter,  her  sweet  familiarities 
with  her  inferiors,  her  natural  tolerance  for  the  ignor 
ance  of  servants  who  had  never  been  beyond  their 
own  hills  and  valleys.  She  thought  Claire  too  orderly, 
too  particular,  too  careful,  too  sensible  of  her  own 
position,  her  wealth,  and  her  various  other  excellen 
cies.  And  though  she  would  not  say  these  things  to 
madame,  she  suffered  Tarset  to  see  her  disapproval  in 
many  ways. 

As  the  months  wore  on  she  began  to  long  for  Lon 
don.  She  was  tired  of  riding  with  Harry,  tired  of  his 
"improvements."  The  fine  families  in  the  neighbour 
hood  were  not  interesting.  Madame  wearied  her  with 
perpetual  praise  of  Harry,  and  Harry  himself  was  not 
quite  the  same  Harry.  He  had  become  absorbed  in 
Cresswell.  He  spoke  of  every  acre  of  the  land,  and 
every  stone  of  the  castle,  as  if  they  were  the  only  land 
and  stone  in  England.  He  felt  the  great  outlay  of 
money  necessary,  and  he  was  economical.  Ber 
nicia  said  "he  was  catching  the  trading  spirit  from  his 
wife."  But  in  truth,  no  change  had  come  to  Harry, 
but  the  change  which  comes  lawfully  with  great 
responsibilities.  In  London  he  had  not  felt  them,  for 
he  had  then  been  bent  only  on  securing  the  woman  of 
his  heart's  desire;  but  when  they  touched  him  on 


THE    WORD    LISTENED    FOR.  295 

every  side,  he  bound  himself  with  their  obligations, 
and  was  more  sober  and  thoughtful  under  them. 

So  there  were  often  coldness  and  shadow  in  the 
splendid  home,  not  the  less  positive  because  it  was 
unacknowledged,  and  therefore  unforgiven.  One 
morning  in  September  Bernicia  took  a  scamper  over 
the  hills  with  Harry.  They  were  tempted  by  the  brisk 
air  and  lovely  sunshine  to  a  longer  ride  than  they  had 
intended,  and  lunch  was  delayed,  and  the  household 
thrown  out  of  order.  Bernicia  was  in  high  spirits, 
however,  and  Harry  was  laughing  at  her,  and  with 
her,  as  they  leaped  from  their  saddles,  in  a  little 
tempest  of  hurry  and  excitement.  Claire  smiled 
faintly,  and  said  never  an  angry  word,  but  in  five 
minutes  she  had  managed  to  so  cool  their  enthusiasm 
and  their  exuberant  tempers  that  the  meal  was  fin 
ished  in  the  most  decorous  silence.  There  had  not 
been  one  cross  word,  not  one  unpleasant  look,  yet  Ber 
nicia  left  the  table  in  a  passion  which  caused  Claire 
to  look  after  her  in  astonishment,  and  to  ask  Harry, 
"Pray,  now,  what  is  the  matter  with  your  sister?" 

"Some  feminine  vexation,"  he  answered  promptly. 
"Ask  yourself  about  it,  Claire.  She  was  all  good 
nature  and  vivacity  with  me."  And  Claire  sighed 
and  looked  at  madame,  who  smiled  back  at  her  with 
a  bland  unconsciousness. 

But  Bernicia,  alive  with  temper  from  head  to  boot, 
had  flown  to  Tarset  to  explain  herself. 

"I  wish  I  were  with  Fanny!"  she  cried.  "Fanny 
scolded  me,  and  I  scolded  Fanny,  and  then  we  kissed 
each  other,  and  there  was  an  end  of  the  worst  of  our 
troubles.  Oh,  Tarset,  I  want  to  go  back  to  Fanny! 
I  want  to  go  back  to  London." 


296  BERNICIA. 

"I  don't  wonder,  miss.  Lady  Claire  is  very  good, 
but  blood  is  thicker,  aye,  and  it's  kinder,  than  water. 
And  London  is  none  so  bad." 

"Oh,  Tarset!  do  you  want  to  go  back  too?  I  am 
so  happy." 

"I  won't  leave  you,  miss.  Places  are  pretty  well, 
but  people  are  better.  And  some  people  spoil  places. 
I  loved  the  old  Cresswell.  I  won't  break  my  heart  to 
leave  the  new  Cresswell." 

Then  they  had  a  little  confidence,  and  after  it  Ber- 
nicia  went  to  madame  and  rushed  into  the  middle  of 
her  troubles  and  desires  at  once,  one  complaint  upon 
the  neck  of  another.  Madame  did  not  contradict  her 
in  anything ;  indeed,  she  listened  with  a  sympathy  that 
greatly  pleased  and  comforted  her  granddaughter, 
and  when  she  spoke,  it  was  to  assure  her  of  her 
desire. 

"I  have  been  already  talking  to  Harry,"  she  said, 
"about  returning  to  London.  It  is  in  the  way  of  his 
interest  to  do  so.  In  a  few  months  he  will  have  to 
accept  the  entire  charge  of  his  wife's  estate.  The 
investments  belonging  to  it  are  mainly  in  London, 
and  he  must  be  there  to  understand  them.  And  of 
course  Harry  must  have  a  home  in  town;  he  can  be 
in  London  at  least  half  the  year.  I  do  not  wish  to 
come  here  again,  but  I  want  my  children  around  me 
as  much  as  possible." 

"Fanny  will  always  be  near  you." 

"And  I  hope  you  will  not  be  far  away,  Bernicia. 
Harry  tells  me  you  have  a  lover  called  Campbell,  who 
is  all  he  could  desire  for  you,  and  that  with  him  you 
would  live  mainly  in  London.  I  want  you  near  me, 
Bernicia,  so  if  you  can  marry  him  let  me  be  happy." 


THE    WORD    LISTENED    FOR.  297 

Then  Bernicia  kissed  her  grandmother  and  went 
away  comforted  by  the  hope  of  seeing  her  sister  again 
so  very  soon. 

Toward  the  dinner  hour  there  was  a  different 
atmosphere  in  the  house;  a  sense  of  something  un 
common,  which  yet  was  pleasantly  uncommon.  The 
feeling  was  so  evident  that  it  pervaded  the  corridors 
and  the  stairways  affd  the  upper  rooms  with  a  sense 
of  peace  and  of  humanity  at  its  best.  Bernicia 
bowed  her  restless  mood  to  it,  and  went  down  at  the 
dinner  hour  determined  to  be  happy.  George  White- 
field  was  sitting  with  Harry ;  and  she  knew  then,  the 
master  spirit  in  the  house.  He  had  come  for  two 
days  only,  but  they  were  wonderful  days  to  the  lonely 
hamlet  among  the  hills  of  the  Humber.  All  the  next 
day  men  were  riding  hither  and  thither,  shouting  to 
the  shepherds  on  the  hills  the  tidings:  and  carrying  it 
into  the  "keeps"  and  halls  of  the  neighbouring  gentry, 
so  that  at  five  o'clock  the  following  afternoon  there 
was  a  great  congregation  on  the  sloping  meadows  of 
Cresswell. 

And  Whitefield  remembered  that  he  was  speaking 
mainly  to  shepherds,  and  he  preached  to  them  of 
David,  whom  God  chose  from  the  sheepfolds  "when 
he  was  following  the  ewes  great  with  young;  that  he 
might  feed  Jacob  his  people,  and  Israel  his  inheri 
tance."  And  the  sun  set  as  he  spoke,  and  the  sweet 
gray  gloaming  fell  over  the  land,  but  no  one  moved. 
His  beautiful  face  and  form,  vibrating  with  life  and 
feeling,  rivetted  all  eyes;  his  words,  resonant  and 
musical,  thrilled  all  hearts,  pierced  all  consciences,  and 
held  both  young  and  old  breathless.  For  this  God- 
fraught,  love-fraught  man  showed  them,  as  no  one  had 


298  BERNICIA. 

ever  before  done,  the  relationship  of  man  to  God  as 
an  immortal  and  accountable  being,  guilty,  but  yet 
redeemed. 

He  preached  until  the  gloaming  was  lost  in  the  light 
of  the  full  yellow  harvest  moon,  and  then  the  people 
began  to  slowly  and  reluctantly  disperse.  The  women 
stopped  in  little  groups  to  talk;  the  men  wandered 
silently  to  their  folds  on  the  fell-sides ;  the  few  gentry 
who  had  been  present  galloped  away,  each  one  his 
own  road  homeward,  and  the  party  from  the  castle 
began  to  leisurely  take  the  shortest  way  back  to  it. 
Madame  had  not  been  present,  and  Tarset  had 
remained  with  her.  Madame  was  afraid  of  the  damp, 
and  Tarset  was  resolved  not  to  listen  to  the  preaching 
of  a  clergyman  against  whom  the  bishops  inveighed. 
So  Mr.  Whiteneld  walked  with  Harry  and  Sir  Richard 
Hardwicke,  and  Claire  and  Lady  Hardwicke  and  Ber- 
nicia  followed.  Many  of  the  villagers  had  gathered 
along  the  route,  and  to  some  of  the  very  aged,  Mr. 
Whiteneld  said  a  few  cheering  words,  while  the  young 
mothers  lifted  their  little  children  to  his  arms  for  a 
blessing;  so  that  they  were  constantly  delayed  by  one 
person  or  another. 

Bernicia  felt  suddenly  tired  of  this  high  tide  of 
spiritual  feeling,  and  she  fell  behind  her  party  to 
gossip  a  little  with  her  favourite,  Gammer  Hole. 
Gammer  had  seen  everybody  at  the  preaching,  and  if 
others  had  been  too  interested  to  notice  the  party  of 
Yetholmn  gypsies  who  mingled  with  the  crowd  she 
had  not.  She  knew  right  well  there  would  be  empty 
hen  roosts  among  the  farmers,  and  lost  watches  among 
the  gentry,  to  pay  them  for  their  presence.  It  was  a 
relief  to  return  to  such  a  material  plane,  though  Ber- 


THE    WORD    LISTENED    FOR.  299 

nicia  sighed  as  she  did  so,  and  wished  it  were  other 
wise;  even  while  she  frankly  acknowledged  that  it 
rested  her. 

"And  I  will  not  hurry  myself  homeward,"  she 
thought,  as  she  turned  into  the  sweet,  silent  garden. 
"  I  am  tired  of  being  talked  to,  and  I  am  tired  of  talking. 
I  will  sit  in  this  heavenly  moonlight  and  think  a  little." 

Her  heart  was  beating  to  its  best  influence;  she 
mused  over  her  past  and  was  sorry  for  its  follies  and 
mistakes,  and  naturally  she  remembered  Lord  Rash- 
leigh,  for  he  had  been  intimately  associated  with  most 
of  them,  and  she  wondered  to  find  herself  forgetting 
his  beauty,  his  grace,  his  rank,  even  his  patient  deter 
mined  love  for  herself,  in  that  one  memory  of  his 
human  kindness  to  his  servant.  She  had  had  nothing 
to  do  with  this  action,  and  yet  above  all  else  it  im 
pressed  her.  She  tried  to  put  it  away,  to  think  of 
him  rather,  coming  spent  and  breathless  and  laughing 
into  her  presence  at  Richmond  with  the  news  of 
Harry's  pardon,  of  his  quarrel  with  her  in  the  garden 
there,  of  his  farewell  among  the  Christmas  greens ;  but 
all  memories  were  lost  in  that  one  memory  of  the  man 
nursing,  through  those  terrible  days  and  nights,  his 
dying  servant.  It  filled  her  imagination.  As  she  sat 
there,  moved  by  the  hour  and  all  its  sacred  and  lovely 
influences,  she  knew  that  the  gay  courtier  had  touched 
only  her  fancy.  It  was  this  solitary  mourner  by  his 
servant's  grave  that  stirred  her  deepest  feeling  and 
her  noblest  nature.  This  was  the  man  she  loved. 
If  ever  she  had  the  opportunity  again,  she  was 
resolved  he  should  feel  it.  Then,  if  the  voice  of 
her  heart  had  been  audible,  she  would  have  heard 
herself  call  him,  with  a  passionate  longing. 


300  BERNICIA. 

Presently  she  was  aware  of  footsteps  on  the  flagged 
walk,  leading  toward  the  large  apple  tree  under  which 
she  was  sitting.  She  made  a  fixed  determination  not 
to  go  into  the  house.  She  knew  it  was  Harry  coming 
for  her.  She  was  wanted  to  talk,  or  to  sing,  or  to 
help  Claire,  or  to  amuse  Lady  Hardwicke,  and  she 
was  resolved  to  do  none  of  these  things.  "It  is  far 
better  to  sit  alone  in  the  moonlight,"  she  thought, 
"and  I  shall  tell  Harry  I  must  have  a  few  moments, 
now  and  then,  to  get  acquainted  with  myself.  I 
suppose  Claire  has  sent  for  me.  Well,  I  will 
not  go." 

Swift  as  these  reflections  were,  the  hurried  steps 
overtook  them,  and  as  they  came  closer,  some  pecu 
liarity,  not  Harry's,  arrested  her  attention.  She 
stooped  forward  and  looked  at  the  approaching  figure ; 
it  was  slim,  and  elegant,  and  bareheaded,  but  it  was  not 
Harry.  It  was  the  man  she  had  been  dreaming  of;  it 
was  Lord  Francis  Rashleigh.  He  had  answered  that 
cry  of  her  heart ;  he  was  coming  swift  as  her  desire. 
She  stood  up,  she  put  out  her  hands,  she  lifted  her 
head  to  meet  him.  Some  wondrous  feeling,  some 
mighty  attraction  enveloped  her  as  in  an  atmosphere, 
and  they  really  met  in  each  other's  arms;  though 
there  was  no  outward  expression  of  such  embracing. 
Yet  some  influence  just  as  potent  gave  assurance  to 
her  lover.  He  stood  before  her;  he  said: 

"I  am  here  again,  Bernicia.  I  have  been  east  and 
west,  and  you  have  drawn  me  like  a  magnet  back  to 
you." 

She  smiled  at  him  so  kindly  and  so  brightly  that  he 
dared  to  take  her  hands  and  ask: 

"Adorable  Bernicia!     Is  it  still  to  be  No?  " 


THE    WORD    LISTENED    FOR.  301 

She  shook  her  head  a  little,  and  looking  into  his 
face  with  shining  eyes,  said  softly,  "  No" 

"Then  at  last,  at  last,  it  is  Yes  !  "  and  he  drew  her 
within  his  arms,  and  bent  his  face  to  catch  the  happy 
word.  And  she  said  with  a  great  gladness:  "It  is  Yts, 
with  all  my  heart!" 

And  no  tongue  or  pen  is  free  of  such  blessed 
language  as  followed  this  confession.  The  hearts  and 
the  lips  of  these  two  only  knew  its  meaning.  To 
other  mortals  its  sweet  music  and  sweeter  pauses 
would  have  been  as  difficult  to  translate  as  the  nesting- 
song  of  the  bluebird,  or  the  midnight  ecstacy  of  the 
love-enraptured  nightingale. 

All  such  transporting  moments  are  necessarily  of 
short  duration;  the  soul  bound  to  its  "house  of  clay, 
whose  foundations  are  in  the  dust"  cannot  long  escape 
from  its  conditions  and  necessities,  and  Bernicia 
remembered  the  speculations  which  her  continued 
absence  would  be  likely  to  cause.  Then  also  she 
remembered  for  the  first  time  since  their  strange 
meeting  to  ask  Lord  Rashleigh  "by  what  fortune  he 
had  found  her,  just  in  that  place,  and  at  that  hour," 
and  he  answered: 

"It  was  my  happy  fate  to  arrive  when  only  Madame 
Bouverie  and  your  woman  were  in  the  castle.  Madame 
gave  me  welcome  and  refreshment,  and  I  told  her  all 
my  love  and  hopes  and  fears,  and  asked  for  her  help 
and  favour.  She  wished  me  success,  and  as  soon  as 
she  perceived  that  you  were  not  with  your  brother  and 
his  friends,  she  showed  me  a  private  door  into  the 
garden,  and  told  me  to  seek  you  there,  'straight  for 
ward  and  turn  to  the  right,'  she  said ;  'and  I  think  you 
will  find  Bernicia  on  the  bench  under  the  great  apple 


$02  BERNICIA. 

tree.'  And  oh,  my  adorable  girl,  I  found  you  there! 
and  with  you  love,  and  joy,  and  the  greatest  good 
fortune  I  shall  ever  know  in  this  life." 

"But  now  we  must  think  of  others  as  well  as  our 
selves.  Claire  is  already  wondering,  and  she  will  stir 
Harry  to  wonder ;  and  Sir  Richard  and  Lady  Hard- 
wicke  are  with  us,  and  Mr.  Whitefield  also." 

"Mr.  Whitefield!  Yes,  madame  told  me  so.  Oh, 
Bernicia,  I  have  a  delightful  idea!  What  do  you  say? 
Shall  Mr.  Whitefield  marry  us  to-morrow?" 

"You  take  my  breath  away!  No,  indeed,  sir! 
Do  you  imagine  I  will  have  such  a  hole-and-corner 
marriage  as  that  would  be?  It  is  out  of  the  question! 
I  will  be  married  in  St.  Paul's  and  nothing  less  than 
the  Bishop  of  London  shall  put  you  through  your 
questions.  And  the  court  and  the  town  shall  hear 
you  answer  them." 

"Oh,  my  charmer!"  laughed  Lord  Rashleigh;  "I 
shall  answer  them  to  the  whole  world." 

"Well,  sir,  these  things  at  least.  How  much  more 
sister  Fanny  will  insist  on,  I  know  not." 

"I  think  if  she  has  her  way,  she  will  send  us  bounc 
ing  into  matrimony  with  a  flourish  of  trumpets;  but 
I  am  prepared  to  go  all  lengths  to  call  you  my 
own." 

In  this  supposition  they  were  quite  correct.  Before 
Bernicia  reached  London,  Fanny  had  made  the  most 
extravagant  plans  for  the  wedding.  "Claire's,"  she 
said,  "was  a  wedding  under  a  bushel,  and  Bernicia's 
will  be  the  last  in  the  family,  and  we  must  set  the 
newspapers  going,  and  women  talking,  and  make  a 
nine-days-and-threefold  wonder  of  it."  And  Lord 
Pomfret  was  ready  to  do  anything  that  would  so  con- 


THE    WORD    LISTENED    FOR.  303 

spicuously  blend  his  name  with  such  a  favourite  of  the 
royal  family  as  Lord  Rashleigh  was  known  to  be. 

Bernicia  had  done  well  for  herself,  and  her  home 
coming  was  a  little  triumph,  though  Lady  Pomfret 
was  obliged  to  wait  for  nearly  three  weeks  for  her 
return  after  the  news  of  the  engagement  had  been 
received.  Naturally,  she  with  was  cross  every  one  of 
the  party  for  this  delay.  "Why  did  not  Bernicia 
hurry?  The  idea  of  waiting  for  Claire,  who  was 
always  slow.  Or  for  madame,  who  was  not  able  to 
travel  quickly.  Or  for  Harry,  who  always  wanted  to 
see  every  old  castle  and  battle  ground  within  ten 
miles  off  the  road."  She  got  up  in  the  morning  plan 
ning  and  hoping,  she  went  to  bed  at  night  disap 
pointed  and  scolding;  but  the  longest  wait  comes  to 
an  end,  and  at  last  she  received  word  that  her  sister 
was  within  ten  miles  of  London,  and  would  be  with  her 
to  lunch. 

She  was  as  impatient  as  a  child  for  a  holiday.  Her 
ears  perceived  no  sound  but  the  rumble  of  wheels,  and 
finally  the  welcome  sound  did  really  come  into  the 
courtyard.  She  was  at  the  door  in  an  instant.  On 
the  very  steps  she  took  Bernicia  in  her  arms;  and 
then  shook  her  a  little  by  her  shoulders;  and  then 
kissed  her  on  both  her  cheeks,  and  twice  on  her  lips. 

"You  are  as  lovely  and  as  provoking  as  ever!"  she 
cried,  taking  her  by  the  hand  into  her  own  room,  and 
while  helping  her  to  remove  her  cloak  and  bonnet, 
calling  directions  about  the  trunks,  and  the  lunch,  and 
the  fire  in  Bernicia's  apartment. 

"I  am  so  glad  you  got  rid  of  everyone!  Where 
have  you  left  the  rest  of  your  party?" 

"Harry   and    Claire    went   with    grandmother    to 


304  BERNICIA. 

Bloomsbury,  until  Harry  can  rent  a  house  suitable  to 
his  rank;  and  Lord  Rashleigh  left  us  at  the  gate.  He 
was  sure  I  would  wish  to  be  alone  with  you  for  a  little, 
and  he  will  not  call  until  the  dinner  hour." 

"A  very  Daniel  in  wisdom!  Now,  child,  tell  me 
everything.  First,  about  Claire  and  Harry;  do  they 
agree  yet  like  treble  and  bass,  or  does  Harry  now 
blow  his  own  trumpet?  Tell  me  about  the  castle, 
and  how  it  looks  and  what  grandmother  said  and  did, 
and  all  about  yourself  and  Francis  Rashleigh.  What 
kind  of  a  wedding  have  you  thought  of?  Where  are 
you  going  after  it?  and  what  are  you  going  to  do?" 

In  such  conversation  one  hour  slipped  into  another 
without  note  and  without  weariness.  In  fact,  until 
the  chiming  of  a  clock  in  the  next  room  alarmed  them 
they  forgot  time;  then  both  rose  hurriedly  to  their  feet. 
*  'We  have  just  half  an  hour  to  dress,"  said  Fanny,  '  'and 
look  well  to  how  you  dress  yourself,  Bernicia.  A 
woman  may  keep  her  lover  for  a  century  if  she  has 
plenty  of  pretty  gowns.  Let  me  lend  you  a  beauty, 
an  apricot  silk  with  cherry  ribbons.  Men  love  a 
woman  to  be  in  a  glow  of  colour." 

Lord  Pomfret  and  Lord  Rashleigh  were  standing 
laughing  and  talking  on  the  hearthrug  when  the  ladies 
came  down  together,  both  of  them  gay  with  the  shim 
mer  of  silk,  and  the  flash  of  jewels,  and  the  frou-frou 
of  ribbons  and  lace.  And  if  Lord  Rashleigh  was 
proud  to  the  skies  of  his  bride's  loveliness,  Lord  Pom- 
fret  was  no  less  proud  of  his  charming  wife.  He  paid 
Fanny  such  devoted  and  ardent  attention  that  she 
vowed  "he  had  caught  the  love  fever  from  Lord 
Rashleigh,  and  she  would  be  compelled  to  marry  him 
again  in  order  to  make  him  sensible."  Upon  which 


•   THE    WORD    LISTENED    FOR.  305 

Lord  Pomfret  declared,  "the  remedy  only  increased 
the  disease,  and  that  he  now  carried  as  much  love  in 
his  heart  as  he  was  able  to  live  with." 

Harry  and  Claire  had  promised,  if  possible,  to  join 
them  in  the  evening;  but  they  did  not  come  and 
Fanny  said  with  an  air  of  gentle  raillery  4  'that  some 
times  the  impossible  was  bearable";  and  anyone 
might  see  that  Bernicia  and  Rashleigh  were  a 
full  cup  to  her.  Indeed,  there  was  as  joyful  a  com 
pany  in  the  Pomfret  drawing-room  that  night  as  it 
had  ever  seen  or  was  likely  to  see.  They  talked  of 
Lord  Rashleigh's  adventures  abroad.  They  talked  of 
the  wedding  and  the  wedding  garments  and  the  wed 
ding  guests.  They  smiled  at  the  tribulations  of  past 
love,  and  in  the  light  that  brightened  the  vistas  adown 
the  future  they  looked  smiling  into  each  other's  eyes. 
And  Bernicia  sang  again  of  "Bonnie  Bobbie  Shafto," 
and  the  "Little  Brown  Man  of  Cresswell,"  and  all  the 
other  old,  old  songs  that  touched  her  lover's  heart  at 
their  first  meeting.  There  was  so  much  to  say,  so 
much  to  recall,  so  much  to  anticipate;  and  ever  and 
anon  as  a  door  opened,  they  could  hear  the  song  and 
laughter  and  merrymaking  in  the  servants'  hall,  where 
also  they  were  drinking  Miss  Bernicia's  health,  and 
speculating  on  her  marriage,  and  the  pleasures  and 
changes  it  might  bring  with  it. 

But  joy  wearies  as  well  as  grief,  and  it  were  little 
wonder  if  Bernicia  began  to  look  pale  and  droop  her 
white  eyelids  about  midnight.  With  smiles  and  kisses 
she  withdrew  to  a  little  sleep  and  forgetfulness.  And 
when  Lord  Rashleigh  had  also  said  "good-night," 
Lady  Fanny  handed  her  lord  his  pipe,  and  stirred  the 
fire  into  a  blaze  and  drew  a  stool  to  his  side.  Her 


306  BERNICIA. 

bright  face,  held  in  her  jewelled  hands,  was  full  of 
happy  speculation. 

"Speak,  John!"  she  said.  "Have  you  nothing  to 
say  about  this  delightful  event?" 

"Egad,  Fanny!  It  is  a  very  fortunate  event  for  us. 
It  will  increase  my  court  favour  and  give  me  political 
influence  I  shall  be  glad  to  have." 

'  'John !  I  am  ashamed  of  you !  How  can  you  talk 
of  court  favour  and  political  influence  in  the  same 
breath  with  Francis  and  Bernicia?  They  are  a  poem, 
a  picture,  a  play  all  fire  and  tenderness.  Francis 
Rashleigh  is  a  lover  beyond  all  lovers ;  the  most  hand 
some  and  the  most  irresistible.  And  Bernicia,  who 
adores  him,  is  the  most  beautiful  and  loving  of 
women.  John,  they  will  be  the  happiest  couple  in 
the  whole  world!"  and  she  looked  at  her  husband 
with  shining  eyes,  and  a  face  dimpling  all  over  with 
smiles.  , 

He  dropped  his  pipe  quite  recklessly  and  took  her 
in  his  arms.  "By  my  soul,  sweet  love!"  he  cried, 
"you  must  except  John  and  Fanny  Pomfret.  I  will 
stake  the  last  penny  I  own  on  it.  Bernicia  and 
Francis  are  just  beginning  to  be  happy.  We  have 
twelve  years  the  best  of  them,  Fanny!" 

She  kissed  him  then;  she  took  his  large  brown 
hands  in  her  own,  and  repeated  her  words  with  a 
charming  insistence: 

"Indeed,  sir,  they  will  be  the  happiest  couple  in 
the  whole  world — except  John  and  Fanny  Pomfret." 


THE    END. 


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